Conquest of Evil - The Minion of Darkness
by Shadow Ranger
Summary: Twice Minion has been defeated by the Power Rangers. But he is a villain who lacks the sense to just die. And now he is back once more with his own forces and a growing madness that could threaten more than just Angel Grove. When the Power Rangers Zeo meet their match, can some old friends save the day or is this one occassion where evil does triumph?
1. Blast from the Past

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. Some lines taken from Transformers the movie.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Blast from the Past

The Dark Dimension.

He was in pain, begging whatever deity looked down on poor misunderstood monsters to relieve his torment even if doing so meant he would fade from existence. Survival was no longer a priority for him, but escaping the agony was. He was inside the Dark Dimension, a place intended for monsters and villains who had fallen in battle, a place intended solely for the deceased. He wasn't dead, that much was certain; the dead could never feel the pain that ran through his body at that moment.

In his last incarnation his mistress had called him Minion, a name intended to remind him of his place in the grand scheme of things. She had revived him from the point of death and had given him the opportunity to destroy the Rangers. He had beaten Tommy by threatening the White Ranger's innocent friends, but in a rematch he had fallen foul of the Rangers' own trickery and had been condemned to endure an unending period of pain and suffering until he convinced Lord Zedd to lift the curse. Of course that feat was made next to impossible since part of the punishment robbed him of his body, his powers and removed him from the physical world where he could speak with Zedd.

He sighed, recognising the onset of a rest period. It was mercy that ended the torment for a few minutes, there was no such thing as too much suffering so far as the instigators of the curse were concerned. However, a creature driven to madness could not suffer as thoroughly as he could if he remained capable of understanding that he was in pain, so the curse allowed brief periods of rest just before the mind was pushed into the realms of insanity for the victim to recover a little.

As he floated in the void, he remembered the time he had spent in this place. Here he had learnt the secret of existence: that although separate the many universes reached beyond the mortal realm. The realms of Heaven and Hell were united throughout existence allowing the dead from each universe to unite. That in turn revealed another great secret: in each universe there was a version of Lord Zedd, the Machine Empire and a planet named Earth that drew more attention that it deserved, a world where the Power Rangers fought against evil. During some of his more lucid moments, he had been able to use the Dark Dimension to view the various timelines and universes in order to gain a better understanding of the fight between good and evil.

In some dimensions the Power Rangers were servants of evil, in some they were the evil rulers and in some they simply did not exist. The same was true about the villains he had come to know. Once in the Dark Dimension all the different variations merged into a single being.

Being dead, such information should not have worried him and in all honesty, during the periods when the pain ravaged his every fibre, the events on an Earth where Tommy had been replaced by a girl named Celia, did not matter to him. However, he was not dead. The curse that he had been duped into triggering could only affect the living. He had been granted immortality at the price of spending almost every second of it in agony.

It had taken time for him to discover that he still had a link to his physical body. When he had first arrived, the hours of pain had left him too drained to do anything except float aimlessly in the darkness. Months later and his recovery time was faster. It was during one of his rare moments of lucidity that he had first discovered the difference between himself and the other occupants of the Dark Dimension. While they had died powered by evil, he had been holding the powers of a Ranger and as such he had retained his powers even if they were inaccessible inside the Dark Dimension.

"If only I could speak to Lord Zedd, make him understand that the Rangers tricked me," he mumbled. He had already tried speaking to Zedd's counterpart within the Dark Dimension, but that Zedd had no knowledge of whom Minion was and wouldn't acknowledge there was such a thing as an oath on his father's honour.

Something struck his chest, causing him to hiss from the discomfort. And then there was a sharp pull as he felt himself being dragged through the darkness. When the sensation ended, he could feel the change in his environment. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to shift as he shielded his eyes from the intense light that signified that he was no longer inside the Dark Dimension. Although given the frozen floor beneath his feet and the strange constellations in the sky above, he was not on Earth either.

He heard something, a word whispered from afar. "Minion..." the name drifted through the Dark Dimension and at he was unsure whether or not he had heard it. "Minion." It was louder this time and he could feel something pushing him backward. In his weakened state he was hurled across the ground.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Minion - Minion - Welcome Minion!"

He was thrown around again. It wasn't the wind that buffeted from all sides, but the solid and overwhelming force of a powerful aura. His instincts told him to run, to hide from the incredible force that could easily destroy him. He had nowhere to go though and after looking around desperately, he still could not find the source of the voice. Then he happened to look up and spotted the large object floating in the heavens above him supported by a mass of ice stretched between eight metal worlds all held in place by the gravitational force of the system's sun.

High above him he could just make out the glowing green eyes of a monster. Even trapped within a frozen prison it was awe inspiring to see.

"You like my body then?" something asked. It was a child, a small boy dressed in robes of black and silver. Weak and unthreatening in his hands though he held a glowing ball of energy. Minion knew at once that this boy was an illusion, a physical manifestation of power and undoubtedly connected to the monster looming above him. The boy's eyes were the same green as the incomplete machine's, and in the light of the fire that burnt in his hands, the boy appeared to share the creature's horns.

Minion pulled himself back to his feet, finally able to withstand the swirling energy. "Who are you?"

"I have many names Minion. In the ancient texts I am referred to as Dagsyxx, but you can refer to me as master from now. Yes, that will certainly suffice for now."

"What are you?" he demanded. The power of this creature was incredible.

"Here I am more than you could hope to understand. This is my personal domain, a place that shapes itself according to my whims. I brought you here, summoned you from the Dark Dimension so that you might serve as a tool to further my plans. With your aid the God of Evil will once more set the skies alight."

"I am nobody's tool," Minion snapped, "and I go where I wish; nobody summons me!"

Laughter echoed across the plane and it was only then that he realised that what he had thought to be a planet was just an enormous organic factory. It may once have resembled a habitable world, but now it was twisted to servicing the twisted creature's needs.

"Welcome Minion to my little corner of the Astro Plane, far from that pathetic little realm where you belong. This is where I have come to reside since the cursed Power Rangers drove me from their plane. Not as grand as the Dark Dimension I snatched you from, but I am sure you will find it more comfortable. Long ago I was in your position, a not-so-humble servant of evil with a desire to become more than the insignificant creature my superiors believed me to be. I served my master willingly until he was incapacitated, and then I built an empire in my own name.

My empire stretched many galaxies until I was stopped. I became a rival to those that had once looked down on me. But I was defeated and now I am trapped in this place, unable to return to release my body and unable to extend my reach beyond this place. But just because I was unable to leave this place did not mean that I haven't searched for a means of escape."

Out of nowhere a table appeared with what at first appeared to be a chessboard. In reality Minion realised that this was not a normal game board. There were far more pieces on the board than would normally be found. Several kings and queens, each with the appropriate number of bishops, knights and rooks, all of varying heights, which he assumed was a sign of their importance to the game. At the very back of each army were two squares where the King and Queen should have been. Around those empty spaces stood two bishops, two knights and two rooks along with eight pawns. Minion noted that they were larger than the other pieces.

"As you can see this represents more than a normal game. You cannot limit such a complex war to just sixteen pieces on each side." He watched as the child touched a badly damaged piece that resembled the body he had seen earlier. It was one of the smaller bishops. "Once I was a pawn. Through loyal service I ascended to a rank more akin to a bishop. One day I shall become even more important." He lifted a piece from the board, a long pillar carved with the faces of the various factions of the Machine Empire, from the place where a rook would normally be found. "As you can see, a valuable piece matched only by the Alliance of Evil for its strength and number."

Minion noticed that despite his words, the piece that represented the Machine Empire was still one of the smallest.

"See this?" the boy demanded as he pointed to the other end of the board. "The Alliance of Evil, the most powerful villains bound by mutual purpose, a cooperative that seeks to extend the power of the individuals by preventing the petty infighting between factions. Zedd, Rita, Vile, and many others you have not met; they are easily as powerful as the Machine Empire. And yet compared to some of the pieces they are weak. At least they are useful."

"You on the other hand are a pawn." He pointed to a piece that looked as if it had been melted. "You should have had no purpose once your usefulness had expired. And yet, you defy your fate and continue to exist. The curse you unwittingly invoked has sustained you, transforming you into something more than you have a right to be. But you are still a pawn, there to be used at my will. And I have chosen your new purpose."

"I have no interest in history or the empty boasts of a could-be villain," Minion snapped defiantly. "And I select my own purpose." He was facing someone who could crush him at anytime, yet allowed him to stay alive. He was willing to see how far he could push before his usefulness expired.

"Millions of years and there is a long way to go," Dagsyxx mused as he studied the piece representing himself, scrutinising it as the figurine seemed to slowly repair itself, while ignoring the defiance in Minion's voice. "Do you think you are the only one who strives to be greater than you are, Minion?" He pointed to the squares where the King and Queen would normally stand. "That is the place where I would wish to stand, commanding the entire army of darkness, yet it is a level I will never reach and a place you have no hope of reaching. That is what unites us Minion, a desire to become more than we are. The difference is that while I have already grown beyond my original role, you will forever remain a pawn."

"I yearn to return to the battlefield, I crave the screams as I extinguish the lives of countless innocents. But I cannot, yet. And that, little pawn, makes you useful. The Earth is the key to my return. On that world or close by there is the power to release me from this prison and its defenders are the greatest weapons the opposition possesses. The planet is a beacon of hope that has been shining for so long that few will miss it until it is extinguished. Return to Earth, destroy the ones known as the Power Rangers, and secure for me the means of my return to glory."

"Why should I, What's in it for me?"

Laughter shook the planet as Dagsyxx regarded Minion in the same way a vulture would a rabbit. He could crush Minion at any time and there was nothing that could stop him. Yet Minion for all his intelligence continued to bait him. It was something to be admired or pitied. Minion promised to be useful. The question was whether that usefulness excused his insolence?

"Your bargaining posture is a little dubious," he remarked at last. "You believe you have a choice in the matter other than to obey or be destroyed."

"You need me," Minion pointed out.

There was silence as Dagsyxx considered his options. "Very well, perhaps you should have some incentive." There was the mental impression of the entity clicking his fingers. "You are released from your curse. No longer will the breach of honour torture you." There was another break, another moment where he seemed to be elsewhere. Then a sword appeared in front of Minion, floating in the air. "This is the Sword of Darkness, a powerful weapon allowing you control over the Morphin Grid. This shall be your new weapon."

It wasn't that great a gift. The being that had forged this Sword of Darkness had forged many more. After all one sword was not that great when trying to build an army.

"And?"

"And nothing. You belong to me Minion, you always have. My property, and I do not need to reward you, I just need to give you commands for you to follow, and punishments if you don't obey! Your attitude amused me for a while, but continued disobedience will not be allowed."

"I am nobody's property!" Minion snarled.

Dagsyxx just laughed at the pathetic attempt at posturing. "Then our discussion and your usefulness is at an end. DIE!"

The pain returned full force as he used the power he had gathered over the ages to rip the insolent creature apart. Minion screamed, his cries and whimpers sufficient for Dagsyxx to delay his destruction for a short time. Dagsyxx enjoyed the power he felt as Minion writhed helplessly on the metal ground.

"Please, spare me?" Minion begged when Dagsyxx removed the pain for a moment. He had been planning to allow Minion one last look at the universe before he was obliterated. The sudden change in attitude though convinced him to think again.

"You are a worm Minion, the lowest of the low. But you are useful, so I will spare your life. Now, take up the sword I have granted you, return to the Earth and destroy the Power Rangers."

There was the sensation of something jerking him by the throat and he was sent hurtling back to the Dark Dimension, this time fully aware of his surroundings.

The place had changed since the last time he had been there. He had changed; he was now more powerful than the so-called villains that turned away as he approached. They would never follow him. The monsters and henchmen though were another matter entirely. They were now loyal to him. With the Sword of Darkness he found that his powers were fully accessible and with it, conquering a small group of powerless underlings had proven easy.

He reached out and a book appeared. The book was an inventory containing the details of every being and artefact that resided within the Dark Dimension and available to him. He smiled as he recognised some of the entries.

A plan began to form in his mind. He was now capable of leaving the Dark Dimension. His chance for revenge was at hand, not just on those who had tricked him, but also against the creature that had tried to turn him into a slave.

He moved the Sword of Darkness through the air, cutting a pattern in the air. When he finished, he was rewarded by a silver glow he slashed forcefully at the air in front of him. The barrier between the Dark Dimension and the Mortal Realm was torn open as he cried: "I command the portal to open!"

* * *

Earth.

Sam ran along the metal corridor, determined to escape the monster looming somewhere behind him. In his mind he could hear the voice calling him, trying to trick him into turning around. He did not know what the monster was, only that it wanted him and that was not good.

"THOMAS!" the voice said again, gaining volume as it echoed down the corridor, "WHY DO YOU RUN FROM ME? YOU KNOW I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU."

"No!" Sam shouted over his shoulder. "I am not Thomas, I am Samuel Revilo!"

"COME BACK TO ME THOMAS AND KNOW ME," the voice pleaded. "YOU CANNOT RUN FROM YOUR DESTINY."

"I am Sam!" the youth shouted as he ran round another corner.

He skidded to a halt as the floor in front of him gave way. He had been here before and knew what came next. He would have a choice. He could face the monster now drawing nearer or he could jump into void below. The noise of the monster's footsteps drew nearer, making the decision even more urgent. Without a second thought he jumped into the void.

Falling, the sensation was strange. Before him he could see a group of six figures, each in a different colour fighting another group of creatures who resembled demons. The first group was losing as a black hand closed around them.

A rope appeared in the darkness. Sam remembered this part of the dream; it was the monster giving him the chance to pull himself out of the pit. For a moment he considered it, but decided that an eternal fall must be better than the monster lurking above.

"THOMAS, THEY NEED YOU, I NEED YOU." The voice was growing quieter as Sam fell deeper into the void. "PLEASE THOMAS, ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE AND COME BACK, PLE..."

The monster's words were lost as Sam noticed a set of spikes below him. He braced himself for the impact his mind told him would be coming soon.

"Nooo!"

"SAM?"

"SAM,"

"Samuel REVILO, WAKE UP! This disturbance is unacceptable behaviour."

Sam opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by some of his best friends and a slightly suspicious looking Ms Randall. As he became aware of his surroundings, he noticed he was on the School Bus. His class was off on a day trip as part of a class project.

"Are you all right Mr Revilo?" he heard the teacher ask.

Sam nodded, but did not say anything. The dream had been more real than ever and he still didn't know what it meant. Who was calling him? The Green Power Coin? His creator? Sam didn't know the answer, but knew he needed to say something to satisfy Ms Randall.

"I'm sorry ma'am, it was just a bad dream."

Randall looked a bit sceptical, but then nodded and returned to the front of the bus. Sam had been asleep and sometimes teenagers did have weird dreams. Randall took out her notebook and wrote down a memo for the school nurse to arrange an appointment with Mr Revilo as soon as possible.

The strict teacher was replaced by a very concerned looking Tommy Oliver. "You want to talk about it?" Tommy asked.

Sam sighed, "I'm fine, I just need to get my head together." It wasn't that he disliked Tommy, it was just that he doubted the spell would hold for long if Tommy suspected who he was.

Sam was the clone of Thomas Oliver; powered by the Dragon, he was the Green Power Ranger, and last seen when he had left the Command Center to journey back to Colonial Angel Grove, where he had resumed his normal life after saving the Rangers from the insidious scheme of one Monastra Repugna.

He should have died by now, after two hundred years of hardly ageing he was starting to grow used to the fact that he would live a long time. He just wished he knew why. Regardless of that little mystery, he was not sure how this news would affect the other boy, or the Rangers for that matter.

He had been married and widowed, had had children and watched them grow old and die. He had watched as time had taken its correct course, right up to the point where he went back in time with Tommy.

Rita and Zedd had made a few small changes when they had ordered the Wizard of Deception to create him. Firstly, they had given him a photographic memory so he would not suffer from Tommy's flaw. Secondly Zedd had granted him some control over his appearance; just little things such as hair length and when needed a change of clothes. The Wizard of Deceptions wand, which he had kept after he had aided the Power Rangers against Minion, took care of his other needs.

Not long after returning to the past left he had discovered that he could focus magical powers of his own with or without the wand. ~An after effect from the Wizard of Deception's spell,~ he had thought at the time. Using his powers he had granted himself a new identity and hidden himself from Zordon. He did not want to be part of the battle between good and evil; he only wanted a peaceful life away from Zordon's manipulations.

"You sure?" Tommy asked, unconvinced.

"I'm fine," Sam confirmed, determined not to hold the conversation for any longer than necessary.

His friend nodded and returned to where his girlfriend was waiting. Sam watched them together. Kat was as beautiful as Kimberly had ever been, but he knew Tommy was fooling himself. Kim and Tommy had never really had a future and Kat and Tommy were even less likely to stay together in the long run.

* * *

"Rita, do you sense it?" Lord Zedd asked as he desperately scanned the Earth for a disturbance that he had felt not long ago.

"It can't be," Rita whispered as she joined her husband. "The Green Coin is dormant."

"I felt it just now. And we both know what we saw a few weeks back." Zedd insisted as he kept searching for the now hidden Ranger. "Zordon must have found a new avatar for the Dragon Coin."

* * *

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, it can't be," Alpha said.

"What is it Alpha?" Zordon asked.

"The computer says somebody just used the Green Power Coin," the small robot reported.

Zordon considered what Alpha said, knowing that it was impossible for anyone to use that coin with the exception of Tommy. He performed a quick check and found the coin was still in the dimensional pocket where the Red Zeo Ranger had placed it. In the back of his mind he felt that this was an important discovery but for some reason he also felt compelled to ignore it. There was of course the story Jason had told them a few weeks ago when he was losing his powers. At the time Zordon had been sure it was a side effect from the power drain and a symptom of stress. Now, he was not so sure. He remembered Tom Oliver had planned to remain in Colonial Angel Grove and he had yet to detect any temporal distortion that would lead him to assume otherwise.

"Alpha, scan the Power Chamber for any abnormal spells that might have caused this problem." In his heart Zordon knew this discovery would prove important. The Green Ranger was about to return and he could sense the balance of power shifting although in whose favour was another question.

~Could Zedd and Rita somehow managed to find a new coin?~ he wondered.

If they had Zordon knew it meant bad news for the Rangers, but might hold the solution to another problem. Since the attack on Jason the Gold Ranger Powers had been restored to Trey. But since Trey was still unable to unify his spirit, the powers were unstable. Jason still had some residue of the power in his system. Zordon knew the energy would soon be exhausted though and then, the team would be lacking a vital member.

~If Rita or Zedd has found a way to link to the Morphin Grid and I can copy it, I can restore Jason to full power,~ Zordon thought as he watched Alpha continuing the search.

* * *

Sam cursed under his breath. Somehow his dream had tapped into the Morphin Grid. Normally he would have been able to cover up for his powers, but his discussion with Tommy had cost him valuable time. Now he risked discovery by Zedd, Rita or worse, Zordon. While the two villains would try to take advantage of him they would give up after a few failures. Zordon on the other hand was a manipulative old wizard who didn't know when to give up. If Samuel didn't know better, he would have suspected that Zordon had something to do with his predicament.

The bus continued its journey through the hills outside Angel Grove towards the small town of North Valley where they were going to see the unveiling of some new super computer. ~Haven't they had enough of machines with Mondo and family stomping around?~

He looked over to where Tommy, Jason, Rocky, Kat and Tanya were sitting. For some reason Adam had not joined his friends at the back of the bus and was currently engaged in a discussion with Ms Randall.

Realising there was nothing he could physically do to stop Zordon and Zedd detecting him now that the cat was out of the bag, Sam decided to enjoy the trip. With luck they had only detected the surge in the Morphin Grid and had not been able to focus on the source. As long as it did not happen again he would be all right. Besides, at least he only had to deal with Rita and Zedd since an enraged Blue Ranger had wiped out the Machine Empire. They would be back one day, but in the meantime at least they were out of the picture.

* * *

"Why don't we send down a monster to attack the other Rangers?" Goldar asked. "Then when the Green Ranger shows up we can grab him."

"Monkey boy has a point," Rita agreed. "Even if we don't get the Green Ranger we can at least aggravate the Rangers, and maybe eliminate Jason."

Zedd considered his options. All six Rangers were on the bus, away from Zordon and with a lot of witnesses. Better yet Jason had given his powers back to Trey of Triforia, leaving him with only a small link to the Gold Power. If anything would draw the Green Ranger out this would. Zedd considered what to use as a monster. He noticed the old box camera on the seat next to the teacher. Aiming his staff he summoned the Freeze Frame monster.

* * *

Adam Park had felt compelled to sit near the front of the bus. Something told him he needed to keep an eye on the road ahead. As the bus turned another corner, he saw why. In the middle of the road stood Goldar and a flock of Tengas. Behind them stood what looked like a giant camera on legs.

The driver applied the brakes and stopped just short of where Goldar was waiting. Before he could shift into reverse, the simian warrior had managed to thrust his sword through the front grill, wrecking the engine.

Tommy meanwhile had made his way to the back of the bus with Jason and had managed to get the emergency exit open. "This way," he suggested to the other students. As they departed, he joined the other Rangers at the front of the bus.

There was a bright flash outside the vehicle and as the Rangers turned they discovered their classmates frozen in place. Although part of him worried in case the effects were permanent another part of him was relieved that the Rangers could morph without being seen.

Jason and Tommy were first off the bus, tackling the nearest Tengas. Kat and Tanya were out next followed closely by Rocky and Adam. Whilst Adam tackled Goldar Rocky squared off against Freeze Frame. Both of the Rangers were able to hold their own for a short time, despite being unmorphed.

As the other four finished the last of the Tengas Rito Revolto decided to join the fun. The Rangers soon found themselves losing as the odds shifted against them.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy and Jason called together.

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink," Kat called. Pink spandex formed around her body, padding out where necessary to provide extra protection. On her right hip her Zeo Pistol formed.

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow," Tanya cried. Her yellow uniform merged from on top and below, bonding to her skin as her weapon appeared at the waist.

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue," Rocky continued, feeling his body mass increase as the power filled him.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green," Adam prepared himself for the battle ahead as his suit formed. As the morph finished he drew his Zeo Sword and attacked.

"Zeo Ranger V - Red," Tommy did not think about his next move. Out of instinct he launched himself in Goldar's direction, catching the monkey as he was trying to sneak up on Tanya.

Jason took a deep breath and mentally crossed his fingers. The Gold Ranger powers had left a small trace of energy in his body when they had returned to Trey. It was a link forged through need and the chances of Jason being able to call on the full power of the Gold Ranger were slim. Still he hoped he had the strength to transform for a short time. He would not last long in a battle and had agreed to use his powers only in a time of need, Jason felt the situation required the Gold Ranger.

"Gold Ranger Power!"

He found himself dressed in a variation of his normal uniform. The golden shield was there, but instead of the thin composite material he was used to, it was closer to thick foam. He held out his hand expecting to receive the Golden Power Staff, but instead received a broadsword.

He didn't have time to consider the changes to his suit and made a mental note to ask Zordon later. Then he charged at Rito as fast as he could.

* * *

Sam crouched under the bus watching the fight between the Rangers and Zedd's forces. He was lucky Freeze Frame's power had been aimed at non-Rangers. Although inactive, Sam's link to the Green Coin had provided him with some protection and he had cast countless protection spells on himself before leaving the house that morning. Casting a spell to make himself invisible had been easy, as had replacing himself with a fake image for anybody watching.

Sam watched as the Pink and Yellow Zeo Rangers finished off the few Tengas that Rita and Zedd had sent as reinforcements. They flipped back to join Blue and Green Zeo battling the monster. Tommy meanwhile was having fun with Goldar. The Red Zeo Ranger had fought the simian monster so many times they knew each other's moves in advance. With a quick punch Tommy sent the monkey to the ground and moved in for the kill.

If Tommy was having fun with Goldar then Jason was enjoying himself even more. The Gold Ranger thrust his sword through the Alien's rib before kicking him away. Jason readied his sword to strike again, but stopped unexpectedly.

Sam watched as the Gold Ranger doubled over, groaning in pain. His uniform began to flicker and Sam felt a wave of sympathy for the fallen Ranger. He had Tommy's memories from his time as Green Ranger and although, unlike Tommy, he was not racked with guilt over his actions during that time, he remembered the feeling of hopelessness whenever the powers had given out. He saw Rito move in for the kill and knew he had to do something, but what?

Although he was linked to the Green Coin, he did not want to morph. He had tried for two hundred years to forget his past, but something had convinced him to return to Angel Grove and play the part of a school student. He had watched Jason and the others as they had grown to become the world's greatest heroes. He had even helped cover for them on one occasion. Now Jason was in trouble and he had to act.

Reaching a decision, Sam summoned his empty morpher; the Power Coin had been given to Tommy after he had defeated Monastra Repugna's monster. Fortunately his plan did not call for a Power Coin, just the raw energy he could summon from the Wizard of Deception's wand. He summoned it with a thought, commanding it to take on the guise of a walking cane and he aimed it at Jason. Once he had mentally located the Gold Ranger's personal morphin grid, he fed the boy enough power to recharge. He smiled as Jason's armour solidified, but frowned when he noticed the other boy had been rendered unconscious.

* * *

"Let me introduce you to my Flashgun," Freeze Frame told the four Rangers attacking him.

A transparent cube appeared in Freeze Frame's hand and as he turned it, the cube flashed brightly. With each turn one of the Rangers was frozen in place. Laughing maniacally he produced a length of film and whipped the disabled Rangers. The Rangers' suits sparked as they were thrown backwards by the whip. There was a loud sucking noise as the Rangers were pulled inside Freeze Frame. He pointed his finger and four black and white copies of the Rangers were created.

* * *

Tommy leapt through the air, drawing his Zeo V Power Sword as he did so. He pointed the blade down towards the spot where Goldar lay. The simian raised his own sword and knocked the Red Ranger aside. Tommy rolled with the blow and adjusted his stance to land safely. He was upright immediately, his sword at the ready for Goldar's follow-up attack.

But it was not Goldar who attacked. The copies, which Freeze Frame had created, jumped past the armoured monkey and lunged at the Red Ranger, each ready to rip him to pieces. Off to one side Tommy noticed Rito was busy hacking at an unmoving Gold Ranger, the latter glowing with green light. He couldn't make a move to help his friend though because at that moment the copies pounced on him.

* * *

Sam knew he couldn't wait any longer. If he did one of the Rangers would die and that was unacceptable. Silently he promised himself it was the last time he would morph. He reached out, allowing the Power to guide him until he found the Green Power Coin and summoned it to his waiting hand. Then he placed the coin inside the morpher and prepared himself.

"Dragonzord!"

A green lightning bolt shot from the sky, striking the copies. The duplicates disappeared as quickly as they had been created. A second bolt struck an unseen figure behind the school bus as he reconnected himself to the full power of the Green Ranger and not the illusion he had created weeks before.

Sam felt the lightning strike him. It wasn't really lightning, just a manifestation of the Power returning to one of its chosen avatars. His green uniform formed around him and a third bolt of lightning forked across the sky, it changed from light green to a darker shade. An advanced Blade Blaster formed at his hip and the familiar Dragon Dagger appeared in his waiting hand. Instinctively Sam concentrated on the dagger and was rewarded when it transformed into a powerful sword. On the hilt was the head of the Dragon, complemented by the inscription of the fleur-de-lis on the blade.

Finally the golden shield, which had protected the Dragon Ranger for many years formed on his shoulders, the Power telling him that it could shift between a compact armour and a thick material that while resistant was extremely flexible. The shield had always possessed such an ability, but Tommy had never had the chance to learn all of its secrets.

The entire transformation had taken less than a second to complete. The Dragon Ranger was back, for the time being.

* * *

Goldar and Rito exchanged a worried glance as they saw the first two lightning bolts. Tommy was slowly picking himself up, his legs a little rubbery. They had not seen the third lightning bolt and were looking around for the source of the lightning.

Tommy turned in time to see a green figure leap from the top of the bus, striking Goldar and Rito with a single blow. The figure ignored the Red Zeo Ranger, turning his attention to Freeze Frame. Leaping into the air a second time the Dragon Ranger produced a sword and stabbed the monster through the lens.

In a bright flash of light the four remaining Zeo Rangers were freed of the monster's power. The green figure turned to where the Rangers lay and pointed his sword. The spell preventing Zordon from teleporting them vanished and the six Rangers were removed from danger.

With Tommy and the others safe, Sam attacked again. He connected with a blow to all three monsters, causing them to retreat, leaving the other students frozen in place.

* * *

When the Rangers appeared in the Power Chamber, Tommy ripped off his helmet, desperately gasping for breath. When he finally had the strength to look at his mentor he asked the question on everybody's mind.

"Zordon, who was that?"

"I am not sure," Zordon replied. "Alpha and I felt the presence of the Dragon Ranger earlier today, but we have been unable to find him. He disappeared after he rescued you and we have again lost him."

"What if he's not on our side?" Rocky asked, remembering the last time he had been face to face with the Green Ranger.

"If he was against us, he would not have stopped Rito from chopping me up," Jason replied. Now demorphed the Gold Ranger was being checked by Alpha.

"Whoever it is," Tommy said. "We can't just let him fight alone, he will need help and we could use the extra power. Are you with me guys?"

Tanya and Kat had been watching the Viewing Globe to see if the other students had returned to normal. Usually the monster's death would have reversed the effects of any spells they had used. The fact the students and teacher remained frozen meant Freeze Frame was still alive.

"What do we do?" Kat asked.

"Unfortunately Katherine, we will need to wait for Freeze Frame to return. The computer says that is the only way to free them." Zordon silently hoped it would not take too long.

* * *

"WELCOME BACK THOMAS," the voice said once again.

Sam realised he was day dreaming. He had already demorphed and appeared near the docks in Angel Grove's Harbour District. Opening his hand he summoned his morpher for the last time. He encased it in a special spell and threw it into the sea, towards the sleeping Dragonzord.

"YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME THAT EASILY," the voice said. "YOU ARE PART OF ME AND I AM PART OF YOU FOREVER."

"No," Sam said to the voice. "I don't know who you are or why you want me, but the Green Ranger is gone."

In his head he could hear a small voice say, "THEN SO IS ALL HOPE."

* * *

"How dare you show your faces in here?!" Zedd bellowed as Rito, Goldar and Freeze Frame appeared in his throne room. "You were told to destroy either the Green Ranger or the Gold Ranger and you could not even manage that!"

"It wasn't my fault Ed," Rito protested, "Goldar ran first."

"He is lying my Lord," Goldar grovelled as he entered the room.

"Silence!" Zedd commanded. "You are both useless cowards."

Faster than Rito could have imagined Zedd turned and struck him with the tip of his staff. Rito's head fell to the ground and the evil monarch watched as his brother-in-law tried to find it again. "Let that be your final warning, my name is Zedd, not Ed!"

Satisfied that he could continue Zedd turned back to the other two monsters. "Goldar you fool, this wretched planet has corrupted you. Such cowardice will not be tolerated."

Zedd aimed his staff at the grovelling simian, a blast of energy hit the monkey. Goldar appeared to grow larger, his fangs sharper and for a moment Zedd feared he had gone too far. Then he remembered that this was simply a rejuvenation spell, a stream of dark energy to reinvigorate the evil that lurked within Goldar's heart.

"Thank you, Lord Zedd," Goldar said at last. He rose from the floor and bowed to Rita, who until that point had remained in the background. "Lady Rita, how may I serve you?"

"Zeddy, this might be the best thing you have ever done," Rita laughed happily.

Zedd finally turned to Freeze Frame. "You have failed to carry out your mission. Return to the bus and destroy those wretched humans. If we cannot have victory, we will settle for fun. If the Rangers return, kill them all."

Freeze Frame bowed and disappeared from the throne room, leaving Rita with a shocked expression on her face.

"You let him go, just like that?" she asked angrily.

"Yes," Zedd replied. "If he succeeds all the better, if he fails it won't matter. Something has changed Rita, I can feel it. Zordon's power in the Morphin Grid has diminished and we must take advantage. Tell me wicked queen, what do you know of the Dark Dimension?"

* * *

The Dark Dimension

The negotiations had been difficult, but he had finally convinced Zedd to blame Rita's mother for the whole oath incident. As a result he had been able to return to the Moon without the need to worry that Zedd would blast him back into oblivion. In return he had given Zedd the ability to temporarily negate the effects of the planet Earth on his henchmen. Long enough perhaps to achieve that one victory to secure the planet.

* * *

Sam returned to the school bus and replaced the image he had planted there some time before. He was still unsure why he was bothering to live a lie. He was two-hundred-year-old trying to live like a seventeen-year-old. He had even created a family for himself just in case anyone asked.

But, like anything else made of magic they were not real. Sometimes Sam wondered if he were real or just a poor clone trying to be real. He had no real friends, no real family. Those who were near to being his friends were friends with Sam, not him. It was an illusion he did not want to maintain, but was scared to lose.

He had even changed his appearance so nobody would guess who he was, but that was nothing compared to the effort it had taken to stop say "Siek-yiah" when he attacked.

He looked at himself in the mirror he had summoned with his magic, remembering when his appearance had helped him when fighting during the Second World War. He had worked for Army Intelligence in Germany, where his blond hair and blue eyes had even the most untrusting Nazi convinced he was on their side. He shook his head sadly at how easily one man had been able to turn honest and decent citizens into an army infamous for the worst acts of genocide Earth had known. Even the villains the Rangers fought did not kill due for racial reasons; they simply destroyed anything in their way.

His hair was now shoulder length and he had used his powers to alter the shape and shade of his face so he would not be recognised. Of course if Zordon scanned him, his identity would be revealed. First though Zordon had to detect him. The spell he had cast years prevented Zordon from seriously suggesting that he was still alive.

With a gesture he returned the mirror to the place he summoned it from. Remaining perfectly still Sam waited for either the Rangers to return or Rita and Zedd to send another monster down to finish the job.

* * *

"Are you sure about this Zeddy?" Rita asked. Her husband had had some insane plans before, but this was unheard of.

"I am certain Rita," Zedd replied. "Minion was not to blame for that cursed oath, your mother was. Now with the power he has discovered we can summon a force even the Rangers cannot halt."

"Excuse me Lord Zedd," Finster said quickly. "But if the Dark Dimension is where our failed monsters go, how do you expect to find a monster the Rangers cannot defeat?"

"The Dark Dimension contains more than monsters Rita and I never used. All the evil beings who have ever fallen in battle are imprisoned in the Dark Dimension. Once there they are unable to return to their own dimensions. But with Minion's aid I intend to use them to defeat the Rangers."

"Is that what you did to Monkey Boy?" Rita asked.

Zedd snorted. "The Dark Dimension contains a vast amount of dark energy. All I did was use some of that energy to restore Goldar to his former glory. For some reason the Earth is saturated in light magic. Just being near it is enough to affect lesser villains."

"And you?" Rita asked. She noticed he had not moved to defend her from such a slur.

"You spent centuries floating closer and closer to this wretched world, you were bound to be effective when you couldn't fight back. As for me," he said. "This is the fault of your vile love potion. As soon as I became capable of love, the Earth affected me."

There was a brief silence.

"The time has come to change that. We shall all endure the Dark Sleep. Baboo, Squatt, Scorpina, come here!" Zedd's voice boomed throughout the castle. "Finster, come closer. No, don't move Rita."

As his subjects arrived, he held his staff above his head and did something Rita had rarely seen him do; he cast a spell using words instead of his staff. As he spoke magical symbols formed in the air around them. A black mist rose from the stone floor, enveloping all those gathered in the room. Rita, Zedd and all their servants soon collapsed to the ground as they breathed the cloud of pure rejuvenating evil.

* * *

Zedd awoke a few hours later and took the opportunity to look himself over. His body was bursting with power. He turned and nodded to Goldar who had kept guard for the time they were out.

Rita awoke next. Her entire appearance had changed. Instead on the ridiculous looking cones on her head and the ugly brown garment she found herself in the tradition costume the witches on her homeworld had used for centuries. Her long grey hair reached down to her waist, her black clothes were covered with various symbols of power, used to attract energy from outside her body. Finally she picked up her wand and discovered it had been recharged by the dark magic to the level it had been before the Grid Wars.

Scorpina had quietly got to her feet and joined Goldar on guard. Her armour had a deadly hint to it that had not been there before.

Squatt awoke feeling better than he had ever felt before. He had a new mission in life, to help crush the forces of good and destroy Zordon of Eltare. It was good to be back.

Baboo had changed physically as well as mentally. His claws had grown into talons, his monocle had developed into an energy weapon and his entire body had developed a metal skin. He no longer looked like a joke, he was a dangerous foe.

Finster was the final henchman to stand. The mist had purged any and all goodness from his soul. Although he looked the same, his desire to make truly evil monsters had grown exponentially.

"We did it!" Rita cried as she understood how much she had changed in a matter of hours.

"And now nobody will stand in our way," Lord Zedd told her.

Finster could not bring himself to look Zedd or Rita in the eye. How could he have failed to notice the positive energy that had bombarded them since they had first arrived on the Moon? ~Perhaps because it had affected us before we escaped the Dumpster.~ His monsters would prove more effective now and he would make amends for his past failures by bringing the Rangers to their knees.

In the Dark Dimension, the portal to the mainstream universe had opened and after convincing Zedd of his intentions, Minion had stepped through. The Sword of Darkness was at his side, a weapon he was certain he would enjoy driving through his opponents' chests.

His body adapted as he entered the physical world. He was in the body of a ninja, his uniform consisting mainly of a black material reinforced by a thick vest over the chest and back. A black mask hid most of his face allowing only the glowing red eyes to be seen. A metal guard protected the forearms and lower legs from attack. Finally, in the center of his chest was a golden coin bearing the image of the Jackal, complemented by a small silver pawn embroidered on his upper arms.

"Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa," he said, removing his mask to reveal his face to his saviours. "I am in your service once again."

"Zeddy, you are a genius!" Rita cried as she saw how different Minion appeared. Both Rita and Zedd had long believed that the only way to beat a Ranger was with another Ranger. Turning back to the monster she asked, "What is your name?"

"Mistress Repugna and others have dubbed me Minion. That is the name I will keep. I am Minion, servant of Dagsyxx and loyal to the forces of Evil."

He watched the smile form on Rita's facing, satisfied she had been convinced to trust him. For the time being helping Zedd and Rita was exactly what he needed to do. Deciding to see the Rangers for himself, he stretched out his senses, touching the minds of all those holding Power Coins or Zeo Crystals. He sensed the active Rangers. Tommy, Katherine, Rocky, Adam, Tanya and Trey. He also detected two others, Jason and someone who would soon arrive.

"What is your command Lord Zedd?" he asked.

"First Rita and I are going to take a trip to the Dark Galaxy. It is time my queen saw her empire in all its glory. Squatt and Baboo, Goldar and Scorpina, you may accompany us." He turned to Minion. "The Earth is your responsibility while we are away. When Rita and I return, I expect you to be victorious."

"As you wish my Lord," he said.

Rita listened to what her husband said. As much as she hated to leave the Earth she wanted to see her kingdom. Even during their exile Zedd had not offered to take her there. She wondered how he would react when he found out her father had been annexing parts of the Dark Galaxy into his territory.

Minion meanwhile had decided that the time had come to clear the Machine Empire out of the Sol system. Using a remote control he had built from junk he had located in the Lunar Palace, he used a few intact Cogs to shift the Machine Base back to their own territory.

"Finster, you may remain here and help Minion," Zedd instructed as he his staff to increase the power of Freeze Frame for one last battle with the Rangers. Then with his wife and entourage, he teleported away.

Minion watched as Rita and the others left, leaving only Finster and himself. He glanced at his new assistant. "Let's get started."

* * *

Sam ran along the metal corridor, determined to escape the monster looming somewhere behind him. In his mind he could hear the voice calling him, trying to trick him into turning around. He did not know what the monster was, only that it wanted him and that was not good.

"THOMAS!" the voice said again, gaining volume as it echoed down the corridor, "WHY DO YOU RUN FROM ME? YOU KNOW I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU."

"No!" Sam shouted over his shoulder. "I am not Thomas, I am Samuel Revilo!"

"COME BACK TO ME THOMAS AND KNOW ME," the voice pleaded. "YOU CANNOT RUN FROM YOUR DESTINY."

"I am Sam!" the seventeen-year-old boy shouted as he ran round another corner.

He skidded to a halt as the floor in front of him gave way. He had been here before and knew what came next: there would be a choice. He could face the monster now drawing nearer or he could jump into void below. The noise of the monster's footsteps drew nearer, making the decision even more urgent. Without a second thought he jumped into the void.

Falling, the sensation was strange. Before him he could see a group of six figures, each in a different colour, fighting another group of creatures who resembled demons. The first group was losing as a black hand closed around them.

A rope appeared in the darkness. Sam remembered this part of the dream; it was the monster giving him the chance to pull himself out of the pit. For a moment he considered it, but decided that an eternal fall must be better than the monster lurking above.

"THOMAS, THEY NEED YOU, I NEED YOU." The voice was growing quieter as Sam fell deeper into the void. "PLEASE THOMAS, ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE AND COME BACK, PLE..."

The monster's words were lost as Sam noticed a set of spikes below him. He braced himself for the impact his mind told him would be coming soon.

"Nooo!"

A green rope appeared next to him, dangling in the air, inviting him to grab hold. In his mind Sam could still hear the voice of the monster chasing after him.

"THOMAS PLEASE DON'T RUN. YOU ARE NEEDED NOW, I AM NEEDED NOW. PLEASE ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY."

A thought started to dawn on Sam. Whoever was talking to him knew he was Tommy's clone. It had to be either Rita or Zedd. The villains must have discovered his identity. The voices had been quiet until he had used his coin to save Jason.

~I will not be evil again,~ Sam thought to himself.

Determined to put an end to the force that was tempting him Sam grabbed the rope. In a flash of green he felt himself teleported to another place, still within his mind.

* * *

Freeze Frame reappeared next to the school bus. A quick push sent the vehicle off the road giving him a clear shot at the helpless humans still frozen in place following his Flashgun attack.

"Siek-yiah!"

The Red Zeo Ranger replaced the Zeo V Power Sword in its subspace pocket and launched himself at the monster for a second time. He looked up as his five teammates appeared to back him up.

"Time for team work," Tommy said, gesturing for the Rangers to get into position.

Tommy and Jason produced their swords and ran at their fellow Rangers. Kat and Tanya had crouched down with their hands ready to act as a step for their fellow Rangers. As Tommy and Jason stepped on their hands Kat and Tanya pushed them into the air. Tommy and Jason found themselves landing horizontally on Adam and Rocky, who had stretched their arms upwards to receive their leaders. Tommy and Jason held their swords pointed towards Freeze Frame. Kat and gathering gave them a push to send both the Rangers into the monster.

Tommy's Zeo Power Sword disarmed the monster whilst Jason used his sword to pierce the monster's lens. Freeze Frame fell back, his lens exploding in a shower of sparks.

"Time to get big!" Freeze Frame called as he started to grow

* * *

Sam appeared in the old Command Center. He could sense no life within, wherever he was Zordon and Alpha were not nearby to help him. The room was green, surrounded by images taken from his mind. In one corner were the deeds he had done as the Green Ranger. In the other were the deeds he had done since he had been left in Angel Grove in 1795.

The images formed of his wife; Rosalita Hermandez. They had met not long after he had been in Angel Grove, she had been the Spanish daughter of the chief of a nearby colony. Their love had secured peace between the English and Spanish settlers and he had moved to be with her in Los Angeles.

Sam had been happily married to Rosalita. They had had children together and it pained him to see her die. From then on he had kept an eye on all his descendants before the time had come to return to Angel Grove.

A fuzzy image in another corner caught his eye. The image showed the world he had created for himself so he would be accepted. It showed the lives of the people he had invented going about their own daily routines. In a way they were as real as Sam.

"SO, YOU FINALLY DECIDED TO LISTEN DID YOU?" the voice asked.

"I came here to destroy you," Sam shouted angrily. "You are not going to make me evil again."

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE EVIL THOMAS, I WANT YOU TO ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY AND RETURN TO ME."

"Show yourself!" Sam snapped.

"VERY WELL," the voice replied.

A green mist filled the room and as it cleared Sam found himself face to face with the Green Ranger.

* * *

The Rangers were having a tough time dealing with Freeze Frame. The giant sized monster had survived the Zords' strongest attacks and was still standing. The new Flashgun in his hand had paralysed the Zeo Megazord and Warrior Wheel, leaving only the Super Zeo Megazord and Red Battlezord to fight.

"It's times like this I miss Pyramidas," Jason noted from the Super Zeo Megazord's cockpit. He had taken over from Tommy while the team leader piloted his own Zord.

The monster aimed his lens at the two disabled Zords, pulling them inside and producing two black and white copies. As the monster stepped back, the copies attacked, taking the Rangers by surprise.

* * *

"What are you?" Sam asked. "Are you my dark side?"

"Give me a break, you're not Tommy," the Green Ranger replied. "You have never denied your dark side and by accepting it you destroyed its power over you. I am the part of you that you are not willing to accept, the part you must accept. It is your destiny."

"You're the Green Ranger," Sam realised, finally understanding.

He had been denying his power for so long it had finally decided to beg for release. He knew the power would not corrupt him, but it would mean getting involved again.

"No," the voice replied. "You have never denied your powers either. Are you really as dense as the original, I didn't think that was possible? You have refused to use them because you have denied me. You used your power when you needed to and didn't when the Rangers could handle it. You have become responsible since the day you were created, but you still deny me."

Sam was really confused. The Green Ranger was not part of his dark side, nor was it the spirit of his coin. It claimed he had denied it, but he had no idea who it was. Finally the frustration was too great, he turned to where the Green Ranger stood and moved towards the image.

"Who are you?"

In response the Green Ranger lifted his hands to the side of his neck and undid the clasped holding his helmet in place. Carefully he removed the helmet and placed it under his arm. Looking Sam straight in the eye and smiled. "Hello Bro,"

Sam was shocked. He had expected a lot of faces to be under the mask but the one he was faced with was his own. Not the face he had created through magic to trick those he was hiding from. This was the face of Thomas Tyler Oliver, Clone of the Green Ranger.

"Now do you understand?" Thomas asked. "I am you and represent everything you have tried to deny for two hundred years."

Thomas saw the look of horror in Sam's face and understood. The original Tommy had managed to survive his ordeal as the Green Ranger by pushing himself into the role of leader. Whenever Tommy lost his powers the doubts and fears, he had experienced would resurface with a vengeance.

The clone was different; he had accepted his dark side and thus conquered it. What he had not been able to deal with was the fact he was a clone. Everything he believed was based on the values taught to him at a young age by Tommy's parents. He had nothing of his own. His powers, face, friends and even life belonged to Tommy.

"You are wrong," Thomas told him. "You are unique. You have experienced things Tommy will never experience. You have made friends Tommy will never know. You have conquered the most difficult horrors to face: your own fears. You don't need to be Tommy, but you cannot deny the part of you that is Tommy. Accept me and become whole."

Seeing Sam was on the verge of making a decision Thomas made one final plea. "You are Sam. Part of you is Tommy, part of you is the clone, but until you accept both parts you can never be whole."

Sam nodded slowly. The whole reason he had rejected the powers was because people related them to Tommy. Now he knew it didn't matter. It was time to be whole.

Reaching out Sam touched the image of Thomas on the shoulder. In a blur of light the image merged with him and for the first time in a long time he felt real.

* * *

The copy of the Zeo Megazord threw the Warrior Wheel into the Red Battlezord for the third time, causing the Battlezord to crash to the ground in a shower of sparks. The Super Zeo Megazord found itself on the receiving end of a blast from the copy Megazord's cannon.

Jason had even tried calling forth Auric the Conqueror in the hope the mystical warrior could help them. Auric had fought well for a short time, but facing two foes had soon caused him to retreat back into his Tiki.

Freeze Frame recalled the copy Zords back into himself, deciding to finish the Rangers personally. Summoning a sword he stood over the fallen Zords and prepared to finish the job he had started only half and hour before.

* * *

Sam teleported to the Angel Grove docks and held his hand out towards the spot where the Dragonzord lay sleeping. "Time to wake up old friend."

In his hand appeared the fully charged morpher of the Green Ranger. Sam looked at it for a moment and then teleported to the bus where he had last seen the monster. As he arrived, he saw the Rangers' Megazords being hit by two other Zords. The monster had called his copy Zords and dumped the captured Zords on the ground.

Sam watched as Freeze Frame drew a sword and moved in to finish the job. Without a second thought, Sam pulled out his morpher, no longer worried who knew his identity. "Dragonzord!"

As his green armour finished forming Sam had already drawn his sword. Pointing it at the sky, he concentrated on the sleeping Zord deep beneath the sea. A connection formed between sam and the mighty machine, the power telling him how to call the Zord.

"I need Dinozord power, now!"

In his mind Sam could hear the sound of the Dragon Flute, summoning his old companion to the fight. As the Zord drew near, he leapt into the cockpit, taking control.

* * *

"Warrior Wheel is offline, Zeo Megazord and Red Battlezord will take time to restore and the Super Zeo Megazord is out of power," Tanya reported.

"How about forming the Zeo MegaBattlezord or just separating for individual attacks?" Jason asked.

"No good," Adam replied. "We haven't got enough power. I doubt we could even summon Cannon Power and aim the helmet."

"Defender Wheel is operational," Kat told them. "But unless we can get upright it's trapped inside the Phoenix."

A familiar sound filled the air, causing Tommy, Jason, Rocky and Adam to look towards the sky. "Did you hear that?" Adam asked.

"It sounded like..." Jason began.

"It can't be..." Rocky said, wishing it were possible.

"Look!" Tanya called.

"Is that?" Kat asked, looking at Tommy.

"Dragonzord," Tommy said as he watched his first Zord make its way towards them.

* * *

Freeze Frame stood over the Red Battlezord, his sword pointed towards the cockpit. One simple thrust and the Red Ranger and his Zord would be history. He listened briefly to the Rangers trying to find a way to fight back. He laughed as he heard one of the Rangers find a solution and in the same breath realise it was impossible. Lifting his sword a bit higher he prepared to thrust.

Then he heard the sound all monsters were able to recognise. It was a call for help, a shout of warning and a greeting to friends. It was the sound of the Dragon Flute. For a moment Freeze Frame shrugged off the fear he had felt. A moment later it was back as he heard the Dragonzord roar, and watched as the Green Ranger jumped into his Zord.

* * *

Minion's sharp senses detected the arrival of a new enemy. Rita and Zedd had overlooked the fact that Minion could not use the Repulsascope and he could not produce an eye beam like Zedd to watch the events on Earth. Luckily Minion was a genius, and soon managed to reprogram the Earth's satellites to send pictures back to him.

As expected he saw the Dragonzord active again and about to attack Zedd's latest monster. ~Let them destroy him,~ Minion thought. ~He's served his purpose.~

He turned towards Finster's lab and walked in just in time to hear the monster maker muttering to himself. He stopped to listen, he had learnt from meeting Finster in the Dark Dimension that he could find out how the monster maker was getting on by listening to him talk to himself.

"...and just a bit more padding here and you're done."

"How's the work going Finster?" Minion asked as he walked into the workshop.

"Five down, one to go," Finster replied. "I thought this might do as the alternate form for the sixth one."

"Perfect," Minion said as he looked the monster over. "Finish his normal form and bring them to the throne room. We'll send them tomorrow."

"As you wish," Finster said as Minion left.

* * *

It had taken him a while to reacquaint himself with the Zord. Just as his uniform had changed so had the Dragonzord. Its tail drill had been modified, so in addition to the normal spinning attack, two blades could extend to provide an extra edge. Sam looked at the controls and noticed three new controls along with an empty slot where the control stick used to be.

The power told him to insert his sword into the slot. As he did so, the Zord came alive and moved towards the threat.

"Fire!" Sam commanded.

The arm rockets fired, striking the monster and causing it to fly back away from the Rangers. He waited until the monster stood again and the used the new tail blade to smash him across the face before using the drill to smash the lens.

Freeze Frame retaliated, striking the Dragonzord's chest with his sword. Sam pushed the first button on his control board. The arms of the Dragonzord extended outward, hitting Freeze Frame in the chest. The head and neck changed position as the Zord's body dropped forward so it was standing on four legs. The Dragonzord's mouth opened, releasing a fireball at the monster.

Freeze Frame screamed in pain as the fire started to burn him. He turned back towards his attacker and froze.

Sam pressed the second button on his control panel and pulled the control stick back. The Dragonzord reverted to biped form. The Zord's tail inserted into the ground lifting it into the air. The arms and legs were pulled into the body as they had when forming the Battle Dragonzord.

From nearby the lumbering form of Tor, the Shuttle Zord moved into view and converted to stand upright. The top split from the bottom, which had transformed into a pair of legs. The Dragonzord dropped into place on top of the legs to form the body and head, the top part of Tor split in half from top to bottom, both halves transforming and connecting to the body as arms. Finally the Dragonzord's tail transformed to form the lance the Rangers had once used as part of the old Battle Dragonzord combination.

"Turtle Battle Dragonzord, online!" Sam called as the machine powered up.

With a final effort Freeze Frame gave a howl and charged the giant Zord. Lightning struck the lance, feeding power into it. The Zord lifted the lance into the air and drove the point into the charging monster.

As the Rangers watched, Freeze Frame exploded, simultaneously restoring the bus and its passengers to their previous state. As the students woke up, they noticed the four Megazords lying on the floor with the Turtle Battle Dragonzord standing over them. Knowing this was bad for public relations, Sam used his Zord to help the Red Battlezord and Super Zeo Megazord back to their feet, at the same time recharging the remaining Zords with enough energy to teleport back to their holding bay.

Satisfied that the job was finished Sam pulled the sword from the control board, sending his Zords back to their hiding places. He then demorphed and sneaked back to the other students, noticing Tommy and company emerge from the bus where apparently they had been frozen.

"Alright people," Ms Randall said, taking a final look at the wrecked monster in front of them and thankful the Power Rangers had been t here to help. "It's time we were back in Angel Grove. The trip will have to wait."

* * *

Later in the Power Chamber,

With Alpha's help Adam and the others had finally managed to restore the Zords to fighting condition. The Warrior Wheel would be offline for some time, but the main discussion had been about the Green Ranger.

"Do you have any idea who he is?" Tommy asked Zordon when Rocky, Adam, Kat and Tanya had left.

"I am not sure Tommy," Zordon replied. "I think we can assume he is on our side since the power has accepted him."

Listening to the conversation Jason remembered something he had meant to ask earlier, "Zordon, why did my uniform change?"

"There are three reasons why this had happened," Zordon told him. "First, the Gold Ranger Powers were designed for Trey, you were never their true owner so they kept the form Trey had selected. The power you are using now is based partly on your connection to Trey's power and partly your link to the Morphin Grid. Therefore the Power allowed you to make a few changes so you were comfortable."

"Secondly, your powers are weaker and providing the full Gold Ranger suit would drain them faster. The sword will help you to make up for the lack of defence with a more effective offence."

"Finally, I believe that the Ranger powers are constantly adapting to new situations. These changes you experienced could well be a part of those adaptations."

"Oh," Jason said as he teleported out of the Power Chamber with Tommy.

Once he was sure they were alone, Zordon turned his attention to Alpha. "Have you managed to find the abnormality I detected?"

"No Zordon, I cannot find any readings on the Moon," Alpha replied. "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Rita and Zedd have gone!"

Zordon double-checked Alpha's findings and discovered he was correct. He checked the remains of Machine Empire and found they had also vanished. ~Perhaps Earth is safe again,~ he thought. He doubted this was the case, but it never hurt to hope.

He silently watched as his Rangers went on with their lives, happy they had survived another fight. "Alpha, if you need me, I will be meditating," he said as he teleported away.

Alpha continued to work as the Power Chamber went dark, the little machine happy the Rangers were safe and away from the fighting.

**End **Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. Some lines taken from Transformers the movie.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

**Blast from the Past **

The Dark Dimension.

He was in pain, begging whatever deity looked down on poor misunderstood monsters to relieve his torment even if doing so meant he would fade from existence. Survival was no longer a priority for him, but escaping the agony was. He was inside the Dark Dimension, a place intended for monsters and villains who had fallen in battle, a place intended solely for the deceased. He wasn't dead, that much was certain; the dead could never feel the pain that ran through his body at that moment.

In his last incarnation his mistress had called him Minion, a name intended to remind him of his place in the grand scheme of things. She had revived him from the point of death and had given him the opportunity to destroy the Rangers. He had beaten Tommy by threatening the White Ranger's innocent friends, but in a rematch he had fallen foul of the Rangers' own trickery and had been condemned to endure an unending period of pain and suffering until he convinced Lord Zedd to lift the curse. Of course that feat was made next to impossible since part of the punishment robbed him of his body, his powers and removed him from the physical world where he could speak with Zedd.

He sighed, recognising the onset of a rest period. It was mercy that ended the torment for a few minutes, there was no such thing as too much suffering so far as the instigators of the curse were concerned. However, a creature driven to madness could not suffer as thoroughly as he could if he remained capable of understanding that he was in pain, so the curse allowed brief periods of rest just before the mind was pushed into the realms of insanity for the victim to recover a little.

As he floated in the void, he remembered the time he had spent in this place. Here he had learnt the secret of existence: that although separate the many universes reached beyond the mortal realm. The realms of Heaven and Hell were united throughout existence allowing the dead from each universe to unite. That in turn revealed another great secret: in each universe there was a version of Lord Zedd, the Machine Empire and a planet named Earth that drew more attention that it deserved, a world where the Power Rangers fought against evil. During some of his more lucid moments, he had been able to use the Dark Dimension to view the various timelines and universes in order to gain a better understanding of the fight between good and evil.

In some dimensions the Power Rangers were servants of evil, in some they were the evil rulers and in some they simply did not exist. The same was true about the villains he had come to know. Once in the Dark Dimension all the different variations merged into a single being.

Being dead, such information should not have worried him and in all honesty, during the periods when the pain ravaged his every fibre, the events on an Earth where Tommy had been replaced by a girl named Celia, did not matter to him. However, he was not dead. The curse that he had been duped into triggering could only affect the living. He had been granted immortality at the price of spending almost every second of it in agony.

It had taken time for him to discover that he still had a link to his physical body. When he had first arrived, the hours of pain had left him too drained to do anything except float aimlessly in the darkness. Months later and his recovery time was faster. It was during one of his rare moments of lucidity that he had first discovered the difference between himself and the other occupants of the Dark Dimension. While they had died powered by evil, he had been holding the powers of a Ranger and as such he had retained his powers even if they were inaccessible inside the Dark Dimension.

"If only I could speak to Lord Zedd, make him understand that the Rangers tricked me," he mumbled. He had already tried speaking to Zedd's counterpart within the Dark Dimension, but that Zedd had no knowledge of whom Minion was and wouldn't acknowledge there was such a thing as an oath on his father's honour.

Something struck his chest, causing him to hiss from the discomfort. And then there was a sharp pull as he felt himself being dragged through the darkness. When the sensation ended, he could feel the change in his environment. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to shift as he shielded his eyes from the intense light that signified that he was no longer inside the Dark Dimension. Although given the frozen floor beneath his feet and the strange constellations in the sky above, he was not on Earth either.

He heard something, a word whispered from afar. "Minion..." the name drifted through the Dark Dimension and at he was unsure whether or not he had heard it. "Minion." It was louder this time and he could feel something pushing him backward. In his weakened state he was hurled across the ground.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Minion - Minion - Welcome Minion!"

He was thrown around again. It wasn't the wind that buffeted from all sides, but the solid and overwhelming force of a powerful aura. His instincts told him to run, to hide from the incredible force that could easily destroy him. He had nowhere to go though and after looking around desperately, he still could not find the source of the voice. Then he happened to look up and spotted the large object floating in the heavens above him supported by a mass of ice stretched between eight metal worlds all held in place by the gravitational force of the system's sun.

High above him he could just make out the glowing green eyes of a monster. Even trapped within a frozen prison it was awe inspiring to see.

"You like my body then?" something asked. It was a child, a small boy dressed in robes of black and silver. Weak and unthreatening in his hands though he held a glowing ball of energy. Minion knew at once that this boy was an illusion, a physical manifestation of power and undoubtedly connected to the monster looming above him. The boy's eyes were the same green as the incomplete machine's, and in the light of the fire that burnt in his hands, the boy appeared to share the creature's horns.

Minion pulled himself back to his feet, finally able to withstand the swirling energy. "Who are you?"

"I have many names Minion. In the ancient texts I am referred to as Dagsyxx, but you can refer to me as master from now. Yes, that will certainly suffice for now."

"What are you?" he demanded. The power of this creature was incredible.

"Here I am more than you could hope to understand. This is my personal domain, a place that shapes itself according to my whims. I brought you here, summoned you from the Dark Dimension so that you might serve as a tool to further my plans. With your aid the God of Evil will once more set the skies alight."

"I am nobody's tool," Minion snapped, "and I go where I wish; nobody summons me!"

Laughter echoed across the plane and it was only then that he realised that what he had thought to be a planet was just an enormous organic factory. It may once have resembled a habitable world, but now it was twisted to servicing the twisted creature's needs.

"Welcome Minion to my little corner of the Astro Plane, far from that pathetic little realm where you belong. This is where I have come to reside since the cursed Power Rangers drove me from their plane. Not as grand as the Dark Dimension I snatched you from, but I am sure you will find it more comfortable. Long ago I was in your position, a not-so-humble servant of evil with a desire to become more than the insignificant creature my superiors believed me to be. I served my master willingly until he was incapacitated, and then I built an empire in my own name.

My empire stretched many galaxies until I was stopped. I became a rival to those that had once looked down on me. But I was defeated and now I am trapped in this place, unable to return to release my body and unable to extend my reach beyond this place. But just because I was unable to leave this place did not mean that I haven't searched for a means of escape."

Out of nowhere a table appeared with what at first appeared to be a chessboard. In reality Minion realised that this was not a normal game board. There were far more pieces on the board than would normally be found. Several kings and queens, each with the appropriate number of bishops, knights and rooks, all of varying heights, which he assumed was a sign of their importance to the game. At the very back of each army were two squares where the King and Queen should have been. Around those empty spaces stood two bishops, two knights and two rooks along with eight pawns. Minion noted that they were larger than the other pieces.

"As you can see this represents more than a normal game. You cannot limit such a complex war to just sixteen pieces on each side." He watched as the child touched a badly damaged piece that resembled the body he had seen earlier. It was one of the smaller bishops. "Once I was a pawn. Through loyal service I ascended to a rank more akin to a bishop. One day I shall become even more important." He lifted a piece from the board, a long pillar carved with the faces of the various factions of the Machine Empire, from the place where a rook would normally be found. "As you can see, a valuable piece matched only by the Alliance of Evil for its strength and number."

Minion noticed that despite his words, the piece that represented the Machine Empire was still one of the smallest.

"See this?" the boy demanded as he pointed to the other end of the board. "The Alliance of Evil, the most powerful villains bound by mutual purpose, a cooperative that seeks to extend the power of the individuals by preventing the petty infighting between factions. Zedd, Rita, Vile, and many others you have not met; they are easily as powerful as the Machine Empire. And yet compared to some of the pieces they are weak. At least they are useful."

"You on the other hand are a pawn." He pointed to a piece that looked as if it had been melted. "You should have had no purpose once your usefulness had expired. And yet, you defy your fate and continue to exist. The curse you unwittingly invoked has sustained you, transforming you into something more than you have a right to be. But you are still a pawn, there to be used at my will. And I have chosen your new purpose."

"I have no interest in history or the empty boasts of a could-be villain," Minion snapped defiantly. "And I select my own purpose." He was facing someone who could crush him at anytime, yet allowed him to stay alive. He was willing to see how far he could push before his usefulness expired.

"Millions of years and there is a long way to go," Dagsyxx mused as he studied the piece representing himself, scrutinising it as the figurine seemed to slowly repair itself, while ignoring the defiance in Minion's voice. "Do you think you are the only one who strives to be greater than you are, Minion?" He pointed to the squares where the King and Queen would normally stand. "That is the place where I would wish to stand, commanding the entire army of darkness, yet it is a level I will never reach and a place you have no hope of reaching. That is what unites us Minion, a desire to become more than we are. The difference is that while I have already grown beyond my original role, you will forever remain a pawn."

"I yearn to return to the battlefield, I crave the screams as I extinguish the lives of countless innocents. But I cannot, yet. And that, little pawn, makes you useful. The Earth is the key to my return. On that world or close by there is the power to release me from this prison and its defenders are the greatest weapons the opposition possesses. The planet is a beacon of hope that has been shining for so long that few will miss it until it is extinguished. Return to Earth, destroy the ones known as the Power Rangers, and secure for me the means of my return to glory."

"Why should I, What's in it for me?"

Laughter shook the planet as Dagsyxx regarded Minion in the same way a vulture would a rabbit. He could crush Minion at any time and there was nothing that could stop him. Yet Minion for all his intelligence continued to bait him. It was something to be admired or pitied. Minion promised to be useful. The question was whether that usefulness excused his insolence?

"Your bargaining posture is a little dubious," he remarked at last. "You believe you have a choice in the matter other than to obey or be destroyed."

"You need me," Minion pointed out.

There was silence as Dagsyxx considered his options. "Very well, perhaps you should have some incentive." There was the mental impression of the entity clicking his fingers. "You are released from your curse. No longer will the breach of honour torture you." There was another break, another moment where he seemed to be elsewhere. Then a sword appeared in front of Minion, floating in the air. "This is the Sword of Darkness, a powerful weapon allowing you control over the Morphin Grid. This shall be your new weapon."

It wasn't that great a gift. The being that had forged this Sword of Darkness had forged many more. After all one sword was not that great when trying to build an army.

"And?"

"And nothing. You belong to me Minion, you always have. My property, and I do not need to reward you, I just need to give you commands for you to follow, and punishments if you don't obey! Your attitude amused me for a while, but continued disobedience will not be allowed."

"I am nobody's property!" Minion snarled.

Dagsyxx just laughed at the pathetic attempt at posturing. "Then our discussion and your usefulness is at an end. DIE!"

The pain returned full force as he used the power he had gathered over the ages to rip the insolent creature apart. Minion screamed, his cries and whimpers sufficient for Dagsyxx to delay his destruction for a short time. Dagsyxx enjoyed the power he felt as Minion writhed helplessly on the metal ground.

"Please, spare me?" Minion begged when Dagsyxx removed the pain for a moment. He had been planning to allow Minion one last look at the universe before he was obliterated. The sudden change in attitude though convinced him to think again.

"You are a worm Minion, the lowest of the low. But you are useful, so I will spare your life. Now, take up the sword I have granted you, return to the Earth and destroy the Power Rangers."

There was the sensation of something jerking him by the throat and he was sent hurtling back to the Dark Dimension, this time fully aware of his surroundings.

The place had changed since the last time he had been there. He had changed; he was now more powerful than the so-called villains that turned away as he approached. They would never follow him. The monsters and henchmen though were another matter entirely. They were now loyal to him. With the Sword of Darkness he found that his powers were fully accessible and with it, conquering a small group of powerless underlings had proven easy.

He reached out and a book appeared. The book was an inventory containing the details of every being and artefact that resided within the Dark Dimension and available to him. He smiled as he recognised some of the entries.

A plan began to form in his mind. He was now capable of leaving the Dark Dimension. His chance for revenge was at hand, not just on those who had tricked him, but also against the creature that had tried to turn him into a slave.

He moved the Sword of Darkness through the air, cutting a pattern in the air. When he finished, he was rewarded by a silver glow he slashed forcefully at the air in front of him. The barrier between the Dark Dimension and the Mortal Realm was torn open as he cried: "I command the portal to open!"

* * *

Earth.

Sam ran along the metal corridor, determined to escape the monster looming somewhere behind him. In his mind he could hear the voice calling him, trying to trick him into turning around. He did not know what the monster was, only that it wanted him and that was not good.

"THOMAS!" the voice said again, gaining volume as it echoed down the corridor, "WHY DO YOU RUN FROM ME? YOU KNOW I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU."

"No!" Sam shouted over his shoulder. "I am not Thomas, I am Samuel Revilo!"

"COME BACK TO ME THOMAS AND KNOW ME," the voice pleaded. "YOU CANNOT RUN FROM YOUR DESTINY."

"I am Sam!" the youth shouted as he ran round another corner.

He skidded to a halt as the floor in front of him gave way. He had been here before and knew what came next. He would have a choice. He could face the monster now drawing nearer or he could jump into void below. The noise of the monster's footsteps drew nearer, making the decision even more urgent. Without a second thought he jumped into the void.

Falling, the sensation was strange. Before him he could see a group of six figures, each in a different colour fighting another group of creatures who resembled demons. The first group was losing as a black hand closed around them.

A rope appeared in the darkness. Sam remembered this part of the dream; it was the monster giving him the chance to pull himself out of the pit. For a moment he considered it, but decided that an eternal fall must be better than the monster lurking above.

"THOMAS, THEY NEED YOU, I NEED YOU." The voice was growing quieter as Sam fell deeper into the void. "PLEASE THOMAS, ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE AND COME BACK, PLE..."

The monster's words were lost as Sam noticed a set of spikes below him. He braced himself for the impact his mind told him would be coming soon.

"Nooo!"

"SAM?"

"SAM,"

"Samuel REVILO, WAKE UP! This disturbance is unacceptable behaviour."

Sam opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by some of his best friends and a slightly suspicious looking Ms Randall. As he became aware of his surroundings, he noticed he was on the School Bus. His class was off on a day trip as part of a class project.

"Are you all right Mr Revilo?" he heard the teacher ask.

Sam nodded, but did not say anything. The dream had been more real than ever and he still didn't know what it meant. Who was calling him? The Green Power Coin? His creator? Sam didn't know the answer, but knew he needed to say something to satisfy Ms Randall.

"I'm sorry ma'am, it was just a bad dream."

Randall looked a bit sceptical, but then nodded and returned to the front of the bus. Sam had been asleep and sometimes teenagers did have weird dreams. Randall took out her notebook and wrote down a memo for the school nurse to arrange an appointment with Mr Revilo as soon as possible.

The strict teacher was replaced by a very concerned looking Tommy Oliver. "You want to talk about it?" Tommy asked.

Sam sighed, "I'm fine, I just need to get my head together." It wasn't that he disliked Tommy, it was just that he doubted the spell would hold for long if Tommy suspected who he was.

Sam was the clone of Thomas Oliver; powered by the Dragon, he was the Green Power Ranger, and last seen when he had left the Command Center to journey back to Colonial Angel Grove, where he had resumed his normal life after saving the Rangers from the insidious scheme of one Monastra Repugna.

He should have died by now, after two hundred years of hardly ageing he was starting to grow used to the fact that he would live a long time. He just wished he knew why. Regardless of that little mystery, he was not sure how this news would affect the other boy, or the Rangers for that matter.

He had been married and widowed, had had children and watched them grow old and die. He had watched as time had taken its correct course, right up to the point where he went back in time with Tommy.

Rita and Zedd had made a few small changes when they had ordered the Wizard of Deception to create him. Firstly, they had given him a photographic memory so he would not suffer from Tommy's flaw. Secondly Zedd had granted him some control over his appearance; just little things such as hair length and when needed a change of clothes. The Wizard of Deceptions wand, which he had kept after he had aided the Power Rangers against Minion, took care of his other needs.

Not long after returning to the past left he had discovered that he could focus magical powers of his own with or without the wand. ~An after effect from the Wizard of Deception's spell,~ he had thought at the time. Using his powers he had granted himself a new identity and hidden himself from Zordon. He did not want to be part of the battle between good and evil; he only wanted a peaceful life away from Zordon's manipulations.

"You sure?" Tommy asked, unconvinced.

"I'm fine," Sam confirmed, determined not to hold the conversation for any longer than necessary.

His friend nodded and returned to where his girlfriend was waiting. Sam watched them together. Kat was as beautiful as Kimberly had ever been, but he knew Tommy was fooling himself. Kim and Tommy had never really had a future and Kat and Tommy were even less likely to stay together in the long run.

* * *

"Rita, do you sense it?" Lord Zedd asked as he desperately scanned the Earth for a disturbance that he had felt not long ago.

"It can't be," Rita whispered as she joined her husband. "The Green Coin is dormant."

"I felt it just now. And we both know what we saw a few weeks back." Zedd insisted as he kept searching for the now hidden Ranger. "Zordon must have found a new avatar for the Dragon Coin."

* * *

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, it can't be," Alpha said.

"What is it Alpha?" Zordon asked.

"The computer says somebody just used the Green Power Coin," the small robot reported.

Zordon considered what Alpha said, knowing that it was impossible for anyone to use that coin with the exception of Tommy. He performed a quick check and found the coin was still in the dimensional pocket where the Red Zeo Ranger had placed it. In the back of his mind he felt that this was an important discovery but for some reason he also felt compelled to ignore it. There was of course the story Jason had told them a few weeks ago when he was losing his powers. At the time Zordon had been sure it was a side effect from the power drain and a symptom of stress. Now, he was not so sure. He remembered Tom Oliver had planned to remain in Colonial Angel Grove and he had yet to detect any temporal distortion that would lead him to assume otherwise.

"Alpha, scan the Power Chamber for any abnormal spells that might have caused this problem." In his heart Zordon knew this discovery would prove important. The Green Ranger was about to return and he could sense the balance of power shifting although in whose favour was another question.

~Could Zedd and Rita somehow managed to find a new coin?~ he wondered.

If they had Zordon knew it meant bad news for the Rangers, but might hold the solution to another problem. Since the attack on Jason the Gold Ranger Powers had been restored to Trey. But since Trey was still unable to unify his spirit, the powers were unstable. Jason still had some residue of the power in his system. Zordon knew the energy would soon be exhausted though and then, the team would be lacking a vital member.

~If Rita or Zedd has found a way to link to the Morphin Grid and I can copy it, I can restore Jason to full power,~ Zordon thought as he watched Alpha continuing the search.

* * *

Sam cursed under his breath. Somehow his dream had tapped into the Morphin Grid. Normally he would have been able to cover up for his powers, but his discussion with Tommy had cost him valuable time. Now he risked discovery by Zedd, Rita or worse, Zordon. While the two villains would try to take advantage of him they would give up after a few failures. Zordon on the other hand was a manipulative old wizard who didn't know when to give up. If Samuel didn't know better, he would have suspected that Zordon had something to do with his predicament.

The bus continued its journey through the hills outside Angel Grove towards the small town of North Valley where they were going to see the unveiling of some new super computer. ~Haven't they had enough of machines with Mondo and family stomping around?~

He looked over to where Tommy, Jason, Rocky, Kat and Tanya were sitting. For some reason Adam had not joined his friends at the back of the bus and was currently engaged in a discussion with Ms Randall.

Realising there was nothing he could physically do to stop Zordon and Zedd detecting him now that the cat was out of the bag, Sam decided to enjoy the trip. With luck they had only detected the surge in the Morphin Grid and had not been able to focus on the source. As long as it did not happen again he would be all right. Besides, at least he only had to deal with Rita and Zedd since an enraged Blue Ranger had wiped out the Machine Empire. They would be back one day, but in the meantime at least they were out of the picture.

* * *

"Why don't we send down a monster to attack the other Rangers?" Goldar asked. "Then when the Green Ranger shows up we can grab him."

"Monkey boy has a point," Rita agreed. "Even if we don't get the Green Ranger we can at least aggravate the Rangers, and maybe eliminate Jason."

Zedd considered his options. All six Rangers were on the bus, away from Zordon and with a lot of witnesses. Better yet Jason had given his powers back to Trey of Triforia, leaving him with only a small link to the Gold Power. If anything would draw the Green Ranger out this would. Zedd considered what to use as a monster. He noticed the old box camera on the seat next to the teacher. Aiming his staff he summoned the Freeze Frame monster.

* * *

Adam Park had felt compelled to sit near the front of the bus. Something told him he needed to keep an eye on the road ahead. As the bus turned another corner, he saw why. In the middle of the road stood Goldar and a flock of Tengas. Behind them stood what looked like a giant camera on legs.

The driver applied the brakes and stopped just short of where Goldar was waiting. Before he could shift into reverse, the simian warrior had managed to thrust his sword through the front grill, wrecking the engine.

Tommy meanwhile had made his way to the back of the bus with Jason and had managed to get the emergency exit open. "This way," he suggested to the other students. As they departed, he joined the other Rangers at the front of the bus.

There was a bright flash outside the vehicle and as the Rangers turned they discovered their classmates frozen in place. Although part of him worried in case the effects were permanent another part of him was relieved that the Rangers could morph without being seen.

Jason and Tommy were first off the bus, tackling the nearest Tengas. Kat and Tanya were out next followed closely by Rocky and Adam. Whilst Adam tackled Goldar Rocky squared off against Freeze Frame. Both of the Rangers were able to hold their own for a short time, despite being unmorphed.

As the other four finished the last of the Tengas Rito Revolto decided to join the fun. The Rangers soon found themselves losing as the odds shifted against them.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy and Jason called together.

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink," Kat called. Pink spandex formed around her body, padding out where necessary to provide extra protection. On her right hip her Zeo Pistol formed.

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow," Tanya cried. Her yellow uniform merged from on top and below, bonding to her skin as her weapon appeared at the waist.

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue," Rocky continued, feeling his body mass increase as the power filled him.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green," Adam prepared himself for the battle ahead as his suit formed. As the morph finished he drew his Zeo Sword and attacked.

"Zeo Ranger V - Red," Tommy did not think about his next move. Out of instinct he launched himself in Goldar's direction, catching the monkey as he was trying to sneak up on Tanya.

Jason took a deep breath and mentally crossed his fingers. The Gold Ranger powers had left a small trace of energy in his body when they had returned to Trey. It was a link forged through need and the chances of Jason being able to call on the full power of the Gold Ranger were slim. Still he hoped he had the strength to transform for a short time. He would not last long in a battle and had agreed to use his powers only in a time of need, Jason felt the situation required the Gold Ranger.

"Gold Ranger Power!"

He found himself dressed in a variation of his normal uniform. The golden shield was there, but instead of the thin composite material he was used to, it was closer to thick foam. He held out his hand expecting to receive the Golden Power Staff, but instead received a broadsword.

He didn't have time to consider the changes to his suit and made a mental note to ask Zordon later. Then he charged at Rito as fast as he could.

* * *

Sam crouched under the bus watching the fight between the Rangers and Zedd's forces. He was lucky Freeze Frame's power had been aimed at non-Rangers. Although inactive, Sam's link to the Green Coin had provided him with some protection and he had cast countless protection spells on himself before leaving the house that morning. Casting a spell to make himself invisible had been easy, as had replacing himself with a fake image for anybody watching.

Sam watched as the Pink and Yellow Zeo Rangers finished off the few Tengas that Rita and Zedd had sent as reinforcements. They flipped back to join Blue and Green Zeo battling the monster. Tommy meanwhile was having fun with Goldar. The Red Zeo Ranger had fought the simian monster so many times they knew each other's moves in advance. With a quick punch Tommy sent the monkey to the ground and moved in for the kill.

If Tommy was having fun with Goldar then Jason was enjoying himself even more. The Gold Ranger thrust his sword through the Alien's rib before kicking him away. Jason readied his sword to strike again, but stopped unexpectedly.

Sam watched as the Gold Ranger doubled over, groaning in pain. His uniform began to flicker and Sam felt a wave of sympathy for the fallen Ranger. He had Tommy's memories from his time as Green Ranger and although, unlike Tommy, he was not racked with guilt over his actions during that time, he remembered the feeling of hopelessness whenever the powers had given out. He saw Rito move in for the kill and knew he had to do something, but what?

Although he was linked to the Green Coin, he did not want to morph. He had tried for two hundred years to forget his past, but something had convinced him to return to Angel Grove and play the part of a school student. He had watched Jason and the others as they had grown to become the world's greatest heroes. He had even helped cover for them on one occasion. Now Jason was in trouble and he had to act.

Reaching a decision, Sam summoned his empty morpher; the Power Coin had been given to Tommy after he had defeated Monastra Repugna's monster. Fortunately his plan did not call for a Power Coin, just the raw energy he could summon from the Wizard of Deception's wand. He summoned it with a thought, commanding it to take on the guise of a walking cane and he aimed it at Jason. Once he had mentally located the Gold Ranger's personal morphin grid, he fed the boy enough power to recharge. He smiled as Jason's armour solidified, but frowned when he noticed the other boy had been rendered unconscious.

* * *

"Let me introduce you to my Flashgun," Freeze Frame told the four Rangers attacking him.

A transparent cube appeared in Freeze Frame's hand and as he turned it, the cube flashed brightly. With each turn one of the Rangers was frozen in place. Laughing maniacally he produced a length of film and whipped the disabled Rangers. The Rangers' suits sparked as they were thrown backwards by the whip. There was a loud sucking noise as the Rangers were pulled inside Freeze Frame. He pointed his finger and four black and white copies of the Rangers were created.

* * *

Tommy leapt through the air, drawing his Zeo V Power Sword as he did so. He pointed the blade down towards the spot where Goldar lay. The simian raised his own sword and knocked the Red Ranger aside. Tommy rolled with the blow and adjusted his stance to land safely. He was upright immediately, his sword at the ready for Goldar's follow-up attack.

But it was not Goldar who attacked. The copies, which Freeze Frame had created, jumped past the armoured monkey and lunged at the Red Ranger, each ready to rip him to pieces. Off to one side Tommy noticed Rito was busy hacking at an unmoving Gold Ranger, the latter glowing with green light. He couldn't make a move to help his friend though because at that moment the copies pounced on him.

* * *

Sam knew he couldn't wait any longer. If he did one of the Rangers would die and that was unacceptable. Silently he promised himself it was the last time he would morph. He reached out, allowing the Power to guide him until he found the Green Power Coin and summoned it to his waiting hand. Then he placed the coin inside the morpher and prepared himself.

"Dragonzord!"

A green lightning bolt shot from the sky, striking the copies. The duplicates disappeared as quickly as they had been created. A second bolt struck an unseen figure behind the school bus as he reconnected himself to the full power of the Green Ranger and not the illusion he had created weeks before.

Sam felt the lightning strike him. It wasn't really lightning, just a manifestation of the Power returning to one of its chosen avatars. His green uniform formed around him and a third bolt of lightning forked across the sky, it changed from light green to a darker shade. An advanced Blade Blaster formed at his hip and the familiar Dragon Dagger appeared in his waiting hand. Instinctively Sam concentrated on the dagger and was rewarded when it transformed into a powerful sword. On the hilt was the head of the Dragon, complemented by the inscription of the fleur-de-lis on the blade.

Finally the golden shield, which had protected the Dragon Ranger for many years formed on his shoulders, the Power telling him that it could shift between a compact armour and a thick material that while resistant was extremely flexible. The shield had always possessed such an ability, but Tommy had never had the chance to learn all of its secrets.

The entire transformation had taken less than a second to complete. The Dragon Ranger was back, for the time being.

* * *

Goldar and Rito exchanged a worried glance as they saw the first two lightning bolts. Tommy was slowly picking himself up, his legs a little rubbery. They had not seen the third lightning bolt and were looking around for the source of the lightning.

Tommy turned in time to see a green figure leap from the top of the bus, striking Goldar and Rito with a single blow. The figure ignored the Red Zeo Ranger, turning his attention to Freeze Frame. Leaping into the air a second time the Dragon Ranger produced a sword and stabbed the monster through the lens.

In a bright flash of light the four remaining Zeo Rangers were freed of the monster's power. The green figure turned to where the Rangers lay and pointed his sword. The spell preventing Zordon from teleporting them vanished and the six Rangers were removed from danger.

With Tommy and the others safe, Sam attacked again. He connected with a blow to all three monsters, causing them to retreat, leaving the other students frozen in place.

* * *

When the Rangers appeared in the Power Chamber, Tommy ripped off his helmet, desperately gasping for breath. When he finally had the strength to look at his mentor he asked the question on everybody's mind.

"Zordon, who was that?"

"I am not sure," Zordon replied. "Alpha and I felt the presence of the Dragon Ranger earlier today, but we have been unable to find him. He disappeared after he rescued you and we have again lost him."

"What if he's not on our side?" Rocky asked, remembering the last time he had been face to face with the Green Ranger.

"If he was against us, he would not have stopped Rito from chopping me up," Jason replied. Now demorphed the Gold Ranger was being checked by Alpha.

"Whoever it is," Tommy said. "We can't just let him fight alone, he will need help and we could use the extra power. Are you with me guys?"

Tanya and Kat had been watching the Viewing Globe to see if the other students had returned to normal. Usually the monster's death would have reversed the effects of any spells they had used. The fact the students and teacher remained frozen meant Freeze Frame was still alive.

"What do we do?" Kat asked.

"Unfortunately Katherine, we will need to wait for Freeze Frame to return. The computer says that is the only way to free them." Zordon silently hoped it would not take too long.

* * *

"WELCOME BACK THOMAS," the voice said once again.

Sam realised he was day dreaming. He had already demorphed and appeared near the docks in Angel Grove's Harbour District. Opening his hand he summoned his morpher for the last time. He encased it in a special spell and threw it into the sea, towards the sleeping Dragonzord.

"YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME THAT EASILY," the voice said. "YOU ARE PART OF ME AND I AM PART OF YOU FOREVER."

"No," Sam said to the voice. "I don't know who you are or why you want me, but the Green Ranger is gone."

In his head he could hear a small voice say, "THEN SO IS ALL HOPE."

* * *

"How dare you show your faces in here?!" Zedd bellowed as Rito, Goldar and Freeze Frame appeared in his throne room. "You were told to destroy either the Green Ranger or the Gold Ranger and you could not even manage that!"

"It wasn't my fault Ed," Rito protested, "Goldar ran first."

"He is lying my Lord," Goldar grovelled as he entered the room.

"Silence!" Zedd commanded. "You are both useless cowards."

Faster than Rito could have imagined Zedd turned and struck him with the tip of his staff. Rito's head fell to the ground and the evil monarch watched as his brother-in-law tried to find it again. "Let that be your final warning, my name is Zedd, not Ed!"

Satisfied that he could continue Zedd turned back to the other two monsters. "Goldar you fool, this wretched planet has corrupted you. Such cowardice will not be tolerated."

Zedd aimed his staff at the grovelling simian, a blast of energy hit the monkey. Goldar appeared to grow larger, his fangs sharper and for a moment Zedd feared he had gone too far. Then he remembered that this was simply a rejuvenation spell, a stream of dark energy to reinvigorate the evil that lurked within Goldar's heart.

"Thank you, Lord Zedd," Goldar said at last. He rose from the floor and bowed to Rita, who until that point had remained in the background. "Lady Rita, how may I serve you?"

"Zeddy, this might be the best thing you have ever done," Rita laughed happily.

Zedd finally turned to Freeze Frame. "You have failed to carry out your mission. Return to the bus and destroy those wretched humans. If we cannot have victory, we will settle for fun. If the Rangers return, kill them all."

Freeze Frame bowed and disappeared from the throne room, leaving Rita with a shocked expression on her face.

"You let him go, just like that?" she asked angrily.

"Yes," Zedd replied. "If he succeeds all the better, if he fails it won't matter. Something has changed Rita, I can feel it. Zordon's power in the Morphin Grid has diminished and we must take advantage. Tell me wicked queen, what do you know of the Dark Dimension?"

* * *

The Dark Dimension

The negotiations had been difficult, but he had finally convinced Zedd to blame Rita's mother for the whole oath incident. As a result he had been able to return to the Moon without the need to worry that Zedd would blast him back into oblivion. In return he had given Zedd the ability to temporarily negate the effects of the planet Earth on his henchmen. Long enough perhaps to achieve that one victory to secure the planet.

* * *

Sam returned to the school bus and replaced the image he had planted there some time before. He was still unsure why he was bothering to live a lie. He was two-hundred-year-old trying to live like a seventeen-year-old. He had even created a family for himself just in case anyone asked.

But, like anything else made of magic they were not real. Sometimes Sam wondered if he were real or just a poor clone trying to be real. He had no real friends, no real family. Those who were near to being his friends were friends with Sam, not him. It was an illusion he did not want to maintain, but was scared to lose.

He had even changed his appearance so nobody would guess who he was, but that was nothing compared to the effort it had taken to stop say "Siek-yiah" when he attacked.

He looked at himself in the mirror he had summoned with his magic, remembering when his appearance had helped him when fighting during the Second World War. He had worked for Army Intelligence in Germany, where his blond hair and blue eyes had even the most untrusting Nazi convinced he was on their side. He shook his head sadly at how easily one man had been able to turn honest and decent citizens into an army infamous for the worst acts of genocide Earth had known. Even the villains the Rangers fought did not kill due for racial reasons; they simply destroyed anything in their way.

His hair was now shoulder length and he had used his powers to alter the shape and shade of his face so he would not be recognised. Of course if Zordon scanned him, his identity would be revealed. First though Zordon had to detect him. The spell he had cast years prevented Zordon from seriously suggesting that he was still alive.

With a gesture he returned the mirror to the place he summoned it from. Remaining perfectly still Sam waited for either the Rangers to return or Rita and Zedd to send another monster down to finish the job.

* * *

"Are you sure about this Zeddy?" Rita asked. Her husband had had some insane plans before, but this was unheard of.

"I am certain Rita," Zedd replied. "Minion was not to blame for that cursed oath, your mother was. Now with the power he has discovered we can summon a force even the Rangers cannot halt."

"Excuse me Lord Zedd," Finster said quickly. "But if the Dark Dimension is where our failed monsters go, how do you expect to find a monster the Rangers cannot defeat?"

"The Dark Dimension contains more than monsters Rita and I never used. All the evil beings who have ever fallen in battle are imprisoned in the Dark Dimension. Once there they are unable to return to their own dimensions. But with Minion's aid I intend to use them to defeat the Rangers."

"Is that what you did to Monkey Boy?" Rita asked.

Zedd snorted. "The Dark Dimension contains a vast amount of dark energy. All I did was use some of that energy to restore Goldar to his former glory. For some reason the Earth is saturated in light magic. Just being near it is enough to affect lesser villains."

"And you?" Rita asked. She noticed he had not moved to defend her from such a slur.

"You spent centuries floating closer and closer to this wretched world, you were bound to be effective when you couldn't fight back. As for me," he said. "This is the fault of your vile love potion. As soon as I became capable of love, the Earth affected me."

There was a brief silence.

"The time has come to change that. We shall all endure the Dark Sleep. Baboo, Squatt, Scorpina, come here!" Zedd's voice boomed throughout the castle. "Finster, come closer. No, don't move Rita."

As his subjects arrived, he held his staff above his head and did something Rita had rarely seen him do; he cast a spell using words instead of his staff. As he spoke magical symbols formed in the air around them. A black mist rose from the stone floor, enveloping all those gathered in the room. Rita, Zedd and all their servants soon collapsed to the ground as they breathed the cloud of pure rejuvenating evil.

* * *

Zedd awoke a few hours later and took the opportunity to look himself over. His body was bursting with power. He turned and nodded to Goldar who had kept guard for the time they were out.

Rita awoke next. Her entire appearance had changed. Instead on the ridiculous looking cones on her head and the ugly brown garment she found herself in the tradition costume the witches on her homeworld had used for centuries. Her long grey hair reached down to her waist, her black clothes were covered with various symbols of power, used to attract energy from outside her body. Finally she picked up her wand and discovered it had been recharged by the dark magic to the level it had been before the Grid Wars.

Scorpina had quietly got to her feet and joined Goldar on guard. Her armour had a deadly hint to it that had not been there before.

Squatt awoke feeling better than he had ever felt before. He had a new mission in life, to help crush the forces of good and destroy Zordon of Eltare. It was good to be back.

Baboo had changed physically as well as mentally. His claws had grown into talons, his monocle had developed into an energy weapon and his entire body had developed a metal skin. He no longer looked like a joke, he was a dangerous foe.

Finster was the final henchman to stand. The mist had purged any and all goodness from his soul. Although he looked the same, his desire to make truly evil monsters had grown exponentially.

"We did it!" Rita cried as she understood how much she had changed in a matter of hours.

"And now nobody will stand in our way," Lord Zedd told her.

Finster could not bring himself to look Zedd or Rita in the eye. How could he have failed to notice the positive energy that had bombarded them since they had first arrived on the Moon? ~Perhaps because it had affected us before we escaped the Dumpster.~ His monsters would prove more effective now and he would make amends for his past failures by bringing the Rangers to their knees.

In the Dark Dimension, the portal to the mainstream universe had opened and after convincing Zedd of his intentions, Minion had stepped through. The Sword of Darkness was at his side, a weapon he was certain he would enjoy driving through his opponents' chests.

His body adapted as he entered the physical world. He was in the body of a ninja, his uniform consisting mainly of a black material reinforced by a thick vest over the chest and back. A black mask hid most of his face allowing only the glowing red eyes to be seen. A metal guard protected the forearms and lower legs from attack. Finally, in the center of his chest was a golden coin bearing the image of the Jackal, complemented by a small silver pawn embroidered on his upper arms.

"Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa," he said, removing his mask to reveal his face to his saviours. "I am in your service once again."

"Zeddy, you are a genius!" Rita cried as she saw how different Minion appeared. Both Rita and Zedd had long believed that the only way to beat a Ranger was with another Ranger. Turning back to the monster she asked, "What is your name?"

"Mistress Repugna and others have dubbed me Minion. That is the name I will keep. I am Minion, servant of Dagsyxx and loyal to the forces of Evil."

He watched the smile form on Rita's facing, satisfied she had been convinced to trust him. For the time being helping Zedd and Rita was exactly what he needed to do. Deciding to see the Rangers for himself, he stretched out his senses, touching the minds of all those holding Power Coins or Zeo Crystals. He sensed the active Rangers. Tommy, Katherine, Rocky, Adam, Tanya and Trey. He also detected two others, Jason and someone who would soon arrive.

"What is your command Lord Zedd?" he asked.

"First Rita and I are going to take a trip to the Dark Galaxy. It is time my queen saw her empire in all its glory. Squatt and Baboo, Goldar and Scorpina, you may accompany us." He turned to Minion. "The Earth is your responsibility while we are away. When Rita and I return, I expect you to be victorious."

"As you wish my Lord," he said.

Rita listened to what her husband said. As much as she hated to leave the Earth she wanted to see her kingdom. Even during their exile Zedd had not offered to take her there. She wondered how he would react when he found out her father had been annexing parts of the Dark Galaxy into his territory.

Minion meanwhile had decided that the time had come to clear the Machine Empire out of the Sol system. Using a remote control he had built from junk he had located in the Lunar Palace, he used a few intact Cogs to shift the Machine Base back to their own territory.

"Finster, you may remain here and help Minion," Zedd instructed as he his staff to increase the power of Freeze Frame for one last battle with the Rangers. Then with his wife and entourage, he teleported away.

Minion watched as Rita and the others left, leaving only Finster and himself. He glanced at his new assistant. "Let's get started."

* * *

Sam ran along the metal corridor, determined to escape the monster looming somewhere behind him. In his mind he could hear the voice calling him, trying to trick him into turning around. He did not know what the monster was, only that it wanted him and that was not good.

"THOMAS!" the voice said again, gaining volume as it echoed down the corridor, "WHY DO YOU RUN FROM ME? YOU KNOW I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU."

"No!" Sam shouted over his shoulder. "I am not Thomas, I am Samuel Revilo!"

"COME BACK TO ME THOMAS AND KNOW ME," the voice pleaded. "YOU CANNOT RUN FROM YOUR DESTINY."

"I am Sam!" the seventeen-year-old boy shouted as he ran round another corner.

He skidded to a halt as the floor in front of him gave way. He had been here before and knew what came next: there would be a choice. He could face the monster now drawing nearer or he could jump into void below. The noise of the monster's footsteps drew nearer, making the decision even more urgent. Without a second thought he jumped into the void.

Falling, the sensation was strange. Before him he could see a group of six figures, each in a different colour, fighting another group of creatures who resembled demons. The first group was losing as a black hand closed around them.

A rope appeared in the darkness. Sam remembered this part of the dream; it was the monster giving him the chance to pull himself out of the pit. For a moment he considered it, but decided that an eternal fall must be better than the monster lurking above.

"THOMAS, THEY NEED YOU, I NEED YOU." The voice was growing quieter as Sam fell deeper into the void. "PLEASE THOMAS, ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE AND COME BACK, PLE..."

The monster's words were lost as Sam noticed a set of spikes below him. He braced himself for the impact his mind told him would be coming soon.

"Nooo!"

A green rope appeared next to him, dangling in the air, inviting him to grab hold. In his mind Sam could still hear the voice of the monster chasing after him.

"THOMAS PLEASE DON'T RUN. YOU ARE NEEDED NOW, I AM NEEDED NOW. PLEASE ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY."

A thought started to dawn on Sam. Whoever was talking to him knew he was Tommy's clone. It had to be either Rita or Zedd. The villains must have discovered his identity. The voices had been quiet until he had used his coin to save Jason.

~I will not be evil again,~ Sam thought to himself.

Determined to put an end to the force that was tempting him Sam grabbed the rope. In a flash of green he felt himself teleported to another place, still within his mind.

* * *

Freeze Frame reappeared next to the school bus. A quick push sent the vehicle off the road giving him a clear shot at the helpless humans still frozen in place following his Flashgun attack.

"Siek-yiah!"

The Red Zeo Ranger replaced the Zeo V Power Sword in its subspace pocket and launched himself at the monster for a second time. He looked up as his five teammates appeared to back him up.

"Time for team work," Tommy said, gesturing for the Rangers to get into position.

Tommy and Jason produced their swords and ran at their fellow Rangers. Kat and Tanya had crouched down with their hands ready to act as a step for their fellow Rangers. As Tommy and Jason stepped on their hands Kat and Tanya pushed them into the air. Tommy and Jason found themselves landing horizontally on Adam and Rocky, who had stretched their arms upwards to receive their leaders. Tommy and Jason held their swords pointed towards Freeze Frame. Kat and gathering gave them a push to send both the Rangers into the monster.

Tommy's Zeo Power Sword disarmed the monster whilst Jason used his sword to pierce the monster's lens. Freeze Frame fell back, his lens exploding in a shower of sparks.

"Time to get big!" Freeze Frame called as he started to grow

* * *

Sam appeared in the old Command Center. He could sense no life within, wherever he was Zordon and Alpha were not nearby to help him. The room was green, surrounded by images taken from his mind. In one corner were the deeds he had done as the Green Ranger. In the other were the deeds he had done since he had been left in Angel Grove in 1795.

The images formed of his wife; Rosalita Hermandez. They had met not long after he had been in Angel Grove, she had been the Spanish daughter of the chief of a nearby colony. Their love had secured peace between the English and Spanish settlers and he had moved to be with her in Los Angeles.

Sam had been happily married to Rosalita. They had had children together and it pained him to see her die. From then on he had kept an eye on all his descendants before the time had come to return to Angel Grove.

A fuzzy image in another corner caught his eye. The image showed the world he had created for himself so he would be accepted. It showed the lives of the people he had invented going about their own daily routines. In a way they were as real as Sam.

"SO, YOU FINALLY DECIDED TO LISTEN DID YOU?" the voice asked.

"I came here to destroy you," Sam shouted angrily. "You are not going to make me evil again."

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE EVIL THOMAS, I WANT YOU TO ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY AND RETURN TO ME."

"Show yourself!" Sam snapped.

"VERY WELL," the voice replied.

A green mist filled the room and as it cleared Sam found himself face to face with the Green Ranger.

* * *

The Rangers were having a tough time dealing with Freeze Frame. The giant sized monster had survived the Zords' strongest attacks and was still standing. The new Flashgun in his hand had paralysed the Zeo Megazord and Warrior Wheel, leaving only the Super Zeo Megazord and Red Battlezord to fight.

"It's times like this I miss Pyramidas," Jason noted from the Super Zeo Megazord's cockpit. He had taken over from Tommy while the team leader piloted his own Zord.

The monster aimed his lens at the two disabled Zords, pulling them inside and producing two black and white copies. As the monster stepped back, the copies attacked, taking the Rangers by surprise.

* * *

"What are you?" Sam asked. "Are you my dark side?"

"Give me a break, you're not Tommy," the Green Ranger replied. "You have never denied your dark side and by accepting it you destroyed its power over you. I am the part of you that you are not willing to accept, the part you must accept. It is your destiny."

"You're the Green Ranger," Sam realised, finally understanding.

He had been denying his power for so long it had finally decided to beg for release. He knew the power would not corrupt him, but it would mean getting involved again.

"No," the voice replied. "You have never denied your powers either. Are you really as dense as the original, I didn't think that was possible? You have refused to use them because you have denied me. You used your power when you needed to and didn't when the Rangers could handle it. You have become responsible since the day you were created, but you still deny me."

Sam was really confused. The Green Ranger was not part of his dark side, nor was it the spirit of his coin. It claimed he had denied it, but he had no idea who it was. Finally the frustration was too great, he turned to where the Green Ranger stood and moved towards the image.

"Who are you?"

In response the Green Ranger lifted his hands to the side of his neck and undid the clasped holding his helmet in place. Carefully he removed the helmet and placed it under his arm. Looking Sam straight in the eye and smiled. "Hello Bro,"

Sam was shocked. He had expected a lot of faces to be under the mask but the one he was faced with was his own. Not the face he had created through magic to trick those he was hiding from. This was the face of Thomas Tyler Oliver, Clone of the Green Ranger.

"Now do you understand?" Thomas asked. "I am you and represent everything you have tried to deny for two hundred years."

Thomas saw the look of horror in Sam's face and understood. The original Tommy had managed to survive his ordeal as the Green Ranger by pushing himself into the role of leader. Whenever Tommy lost his powers the doubts and fears, he had experienced would resurface with a vengeance.

The clone was different; he had accepted his dark side and thus conquered it. What he had not been able to deal with was the fact he was a clone. Everything he believed was based on the values taught to him at a young age by Tommy's parents. He had nothing of his own. His powers, face, friends and even life belonged to Tommy.

"You are wrong," Thomas told him. "You are unique. You have experienced things Tommy will never experience. You have made friends Tommy will never know. You have conquered the most difficult horrors to face: your own fears. You don't need to be Tommy, but you cannot deny the part of you that is Tommy. Accept me and become whole."

Seeing Sam was on the verge of making a decision Thomas made one final plea. "You are Sam. Part of you is Tommy, part of you is the clone, but until you accept both parts you can never be whole."

Sam nodded slowly. The whole reason he had rejected the powers was because people related them to Tommy. Now he knew it didn't matter. It was time to be whole.

Reaching out Sam touched the image of Thomas on the shoulder. In a blur of light the image merged with him and for the first time in a long time he felt real.

* * *

The copy of the Zeo Megazord threw the Warrior Wheel into the Red Battlezord for the third time, causing the Battlezord to crash to the ground in a shower of sparks. The Super Zeo Megazord found itself on the receiving end of a blast from the copy Megazord's cannon.

Jason had even tried calling forth Auric the Conqueror in the hope the mystical warrior could help them. Auric had fought well for a short time, but facing two foes had soon caused him to retreat back into his Tiki.

Freeze Frame recalled the copy Zords back into himself, deciding to finish the Rangers personally. Summoning a sword he stood over the fallen Zords and prepared to finish the job he had started only half and hour before.

* * *

Sam teleported to the Angel Grove docks and held his hand out towards the spot where the Dragonzord lay sleeping. "Time to wake up old friend."

In his hand appeared the fully charged morpher of the Green Ranger. Sam looked at it for a moment and then teleported to the bus where he had last seen the monster. As he arrived, he saw the Rangers' Megazords being hit by two other Zords. The monster had called his copy Zords and dumped the captured Zords on the ground.

Sam watched as Freeze Frame drew a sword and moved in to finish the job. Without a second thought, Sam pulled out his morpher, no longer worried who knew his identity. "Dragonzord!"

As his green armour finished forming Sam had already drawn his sword. Pointing it at the sky, he concentrated on the sleeping Zord deep beneath the sea. A connection formed between sam and the mighty machine, the power telling him how to call the Zord.

"I need Dinozord power, now!"

In his mind Sam could hear the sound of the Dragon Flute, summoning his old companion to the fight. As the Zord drew near, he leapt into the cockpit, taking control.

* * *

"Warrior Wheel is offline, Zeo Megazord and Red Battlezord will take time to restore and the Super Zeo Megazord is out of power," Tanya reported.

"How about forming the Zeo MegaBattlezord or just separating for individual attacks?" Jason asked.

"No good," Adam replied. "We haven't got enough power. I doubt we could even summon Cannon Power and aim the helmet."

"Defender Wheel is operational," Kat told them. "But unless we can get upright it's trapped inside the Phoenix."

A familiar sound filled the air, causing Tommy, Jason, Rocky and Adam to look towards the sky. "Did you hear that?" Adam asked.

"It sounded like..." Jason began.

"It can't be..." Rocky said, wishing it were possible.

"Look!" Tanya called.

"Is that?" Kat asked, looking at Tommy.

"Dragonzord," Tommy said as he watched his first Zord make its way towards them.

* * *

Freeze Frame stood over the Red Battlezord, his sword pointed towards the cockpit. One simple thrust and the Red Ranger and his Zord would be history. He listened briefly to the Rangers trying to find a way to fight back. He laughed as he heard one of the Rangers find a solution and in the same breath realise it was impossible. Lifting his sword a bit higher he prepared to thrust.

Then he heard the sound all monsters were able to recognise. It was a call for help, a shout of warning and a greeting to friends. It was the sound of the Dragon Flute. For a moment Freeze Frame shrugged off the fear he had felt. A moment later it was back as he heard the Dragonzord roar, and watched as the Green Ranger jumped into his Zord.

* * *

Minion's sharp senses detected the arrival of a new enemy. Rita and Zedd had overlooked the fact that Minion could not use the Repulsascope and he could not produce an eye beam like Zedd to watch the events on Earth. Luckily Minion was a genius, and soon managed to reprogram the Earth's satellites to send pictures back to him.

As expected he saw the Dragonzord active again and about to attack Zedd's latest monster. ~Let them destroy him,~ Minion thought. ~He's served his purpose.~

He turned towards Finster's lab and walked in just in time to hear the monster maker muttering to himself. He stopped to listen, he had learnt from meeting Finster in the Dark Dimension that he could find out how the monster maker was getting on by listening to him talk to himself.

"...and just a bit more padding here and you're done."

"How's the work going Finster?" Minion asked as he walked into the workshop.

"Five down, one to go," Finster replied. "I thought this might do as the alternate form for the sixth one."

"Perfect," Minion said as he looked the monster over. "Finish his normal form and bring them to the throne room. We'll send them tomorrow."

"As you wish," Finster said as Minion left.

* * *

It had taken him a while to reacquaint himself with the Zord. Just as his uniform had changed so had the Dragonzord. Its tail drill had been modified, so in addition to the normal spinning attack, two blades could extend to provide an extra edge. Sam looked at the controls and noticed three new controls along with an empty slot where the control stick used to be.

The power told him to insert his sword into the slot. As he did so, the Zord came alive and moved towards the threat.

"Fire!" Sam commanded.

The arm rockets fired, striking the monster and causing it to fly back away from the Rangers. He waited until the monster stood again and the used the new tail blade to smash him across the face before using the drill to smash the lens.

Freeze Frame retaliated, striking the Dragonzord's chest with his sword. Sam pushed the first button on his control board. The arms of the Dragonzord extended outward, hitting Freeze Frame in the chest. The head and neck changed position as the Zord's body dropped forward so it was standing on four legs. The Dragonzord's mouth opened, releasing a fireball at the monster.

Freeze Frame screamed in pain as the fire started to burn him. He turned back towards his attacker and froze.

Sam pressed the second button on his control panel and pulled the control stick back. The Dragonzord reverted to biped form. The Zord's tail inserted into the ground lifting it into the air. The arms and legs were pulled into the body as they had when forming the Battle Dragonzord.

From nearby the lumbering form of Tor, the Shuttle Zord moved into view and converted to stand upright. The top split from the bottom, which had transformed into a pair of legs. The Dragonzord dropped into place on top of the legs to form the body and head, the top part of Tor split in half from top to bottom, both halves transforming and connecting to the body as arms. Finally the Dragonzord's tail transformed to form the lance the Rangers had once used as part of the old Battle Dragonzord combination.

"Turtle Battle Dragonzord, online!" Sam called as the machine powered up.

With a final effort Freeze Frame gave a howl and charged the giant Zord. Lightning struck the lance, feeding power into it. The Zord lifted the lance into the air and drove the point into the charging monster.

As the Rangers watched, Freeze Frame exploded, simultaneously restoring the bus and its passengers to their previous state. As the students woke up, they noticed the four Megazords lying on the floor with the Turtle Battle Dragonzord standing over them. Knowing this was bad for public relations, Sam used his Zord to help the Red Battlezord and Super Zeo Megazord back to their feet, at the same time recharging the remaining Zords with enough energy to teleport back to their holding bay.

Satisfied that the job was finished Sam pulled the sword from the control board, sending his Zords back to their hiding places. He then demorphed and sneaked back to the other students, noticing Tommy and company emerge from the bus where apparently they had been frozen.

"Alright people," Ms Randall said, taking a final look at the wrecked monster in front of them and thankful the Power Rangers had been there to help. "It's time we were back in Angel Grove. The trip will have to wait."

* * *

Later in the Power Chamber,

With Alpha's help Adam and the others had finally managed to restore the Zords to fighting condition. The Warrior Wheel would be offline for some time, but the main discussion had been about the Green Ranger.

"Do you have any idea who he is?" Tommy asked Zordon when Rocky, Adam, Kat and Tanya had left.

"I am not sure Tommy," Zordon replied. "I think we can assume he is on our side since the power has accepted him."

Listening to the conversation Jason remembered something he had meant to ask earlier, "Zordon, why did my uniform change?"

"There are three reasons why this had happened," Zordon told him. "First, the Gold Ranger Powers were designed for Trey, you were never their true owner so they kept the form Trey had selected. The power you are using now is based partly on your connection to Trey's power and partly your link to the Morphin Grid. Therefore the Power allowed you to make a few changes so you were comfortable."

"Secondly, your powers are weaker and providing the full Gold Ranger suit would drain them faster. The sword will help you to make up for the lack of defence with a more effective offence."

"Finally, I believe that the Ranger powers are constantly adapting to new situations. These changes you experienced could well be a part of those adaptations."

"Oh," Jason said as he teleported out of the Power Chamber with Tommy.

Once he was sure they were alone, Zordon turned his attention to Alpha. "Have you managed to find the abnormality I detected?"

"No Zordon, I cannot find any readings on the Moon," Alpha replied. "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Rita and Zedd have gone!"

Zordon double-checked Alpha's findings and discovered he was correct. He checked the remains of Machine Empire and found they had also vanished. ~Perhaps Earth is safe again,~ he thought. He doubted this was the case, but it never hurt to hope.

He silently watched as his Rangers went on with their lives, happy they had survived another fight. "Alpha, if you need me, I will be meditating," he said as he teleported away.

Alpha continued to work as the Power Chamber went dark, the little machine happy the Rangers were safe and away from the fighting.

**End **


	2. Dark Waters

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. Tommy's experiences in this story were inspired after reading Shards of the Mind by Justin Lam.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline. In relation to the show, this would take place between the end of Zeo and the start of Turbo. The Machine Empire was not blown to pieces in this story.

Dark Waters

The cool breeze caused his robes to shift slightly as he stood alone on the hill. Behind him there was a mature apple tree alive with the buzzing of the bees that nested there. By his foot sat a squirrel, foraging playfully in the day's heat. On his finger rested a small bird, cheerfully singing its little tune without a fear in the world.

His name was Minion and he had a mission: to conquer the planet known as Earth and crush the Power Rangers before Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa deemed to return from their little excursion. At the moment he was indulging in the old saying know thy enemy as he stood watching the views and imagining how it would be when he destroyed everything.

With a thought his aura flared, the tree withered, the squirrel choked and the little bird was transformed into a pile of ash and bone. He didn't have time for beauty, only vengeance and perhaps his mission.

Rita and Zedd had set him a task and even though he didn't need to obey them, their purposes and his were the same for the moment. The witch and her husband hadn't specified how he was to accomplish his goal, nor for that matter had Dagsyxx, the being who had rescued him from the constant torment of the Dark Dimension only to enslave him, dictated how he was to carry out his mission. That suited him just fine because he was aware that completion of one part of his task would somehow further Dagsyxx's goals, perhaps even grant him the freedom he didn't have right now. Therefore, Minion chose to concentrate on crushing the Power Rangers first.

Crushing the Rangers was a problem. They reminded him of cockroaches, surviving the worst that their enemies could throw at them. Even losing their powers and reverting to children had failed to put an end to their efforts. At that time another team of Rangers, which had disappeared again when the effects of the Orb of Doom were negated, had aided them. While revealing how dangerous his enemies would prove, it also gave him a starting point in his campaign.

And there lay a problem he could deal with. The Rangers had allies, those who would back them up in a time of crisis. And if the Orb of Doom episode proved anything then their allies were just as dangerous to his plans as the Rangers themselves. His mind focussed on two particular sets of allies, two groups who owed the Rangers of Earth a debt of some nature. The Alien Rangers of the planet Aquitar sprang to mind. The Rangers had aided them against the Hydro Contaminators and Billy, the former Blue Ranger, was still on Aquitar. Then there were the people of Triforia, namely Trey, Trent and Travis. While only Trey held the power of the Gold Ranger, there was always the chance that the other two could prove bothersome.

They posed a problem, but Minion had an easy solution. He would wipe them out, pre-emptively. He would crush Triforia and turn Aquitar's waters into a bloodbath. He couldn't do it alone, Dagsyxx had not granted him the ability to be in three places at one. He would need to find outside help, recruit others that he could dispose of when the time came. His mind drifted to those he had seen in the Dark Dimension and a grin cross his face.

In a puff black smoke he was gone. He knew who he could call on to aid him. Who better to teach the Aquitians some respect than a creature they had helped to imprison?

* * *

To the casual observer Aquitar was simply a world covered by ocean. There were no islands above the surface and the entire population lived in domes several miles under the sea. As Billy Cranston had discovered during his long stay on the planet, Aquitar was more than just a water world.

True, the planet's population needed regular contact with the pure water to survive and as a result did live under water for most of their lives. However, they had also learnt over many thousands of year's evolution and experience that some tasks were better performed on dry land. Using advanced technology they had managed to force a chunk of the seabed to the surface, where the Aquitians had been able to build a landmass. Several such operations had taken place centuries ago.

However, many on Aquitar had protested against the creation of more islands. As a result a set of floating cities had been created. Shielded from view so as not to spoil the scenery and floating two miles above the water, using pollution-free repulsor lifts, the platforms allowed for the building of machines too delicate to be built in water.

Billy Cranston was lying on one of the smaller islands, his back against the ground; he was watching the stars, trying to find the planet of his birth; Earth. Although he had kept in touch with the other Rangers through the Power Chamber's communication systems Billy still felt left out from time to time. Most recently he had learnt about the return of the Green Dragon Ranger and more importantly, the disappearance of Rita and Zedd. He had spent many hours wondering who the new Ranger was and where he had got his power.

"Billy?" a voice asked.

Billy looked around to find Cestria smiling down at him. It was hard to imagine that a few years ago he had been a geek, picked on by bullies and hiding behind long words. Then he had become a Ranger and had strengthened his bond with his four best friends. They had helped to draw him out, letting him feel like he belonged. Tommy had joined later and although the team had changed Billy had always felt he had a home.

Then the Power Coins and the Command Center had been destroyed and Billy had felt a part of himself disappear with them. Even the new Power Chamber and Zeo Powers were not enough to make him feel part of the team. Too many changes had taken place, especially within Billy. When he had used his device to return to his normal age, he had not counted on continuing to age. As a result his one real chance to become a Ranger had been lost when he was unable to claim the Gold Ranger Powers.

He sighed to himself. He might have lost his chance to be a Ranger, but he had found something greater, Cestria. He had loved her since they had first met. They had spent time together during the battle with the Hydro Contaminators and even more time together while he was undergoing treatment. Together they had made themselves a home and hoped someday to adopt a child for themselves.

"Are you okay?" Cestria asked, the concern evident in her voice.

"Affirmative," Billy replied, grinning at his use of the word after learning to say just 'yes'. "I was just contemplating the identity of the Green Ranger the others were telling me about."

Cestria nodded and joined her lover looking up at the stars. When they had first gotten together, she had felt they would not last. But as the weeks had progressed, she had found herself ever more drawn to him. Then he had asked her to marry him. She had agreed and the ceremony had taken place.

The relationship between an Aquitian female and a human male had raised a few eyebrows especially when it had been revealed he was from Earth, a planet considered barbaric by most standards. Billy had been surprised to discover that Earth was a restricted planet. The only interference allowed was the placement of a Ranger team.

Even so Cestria was proud of the way Billy had conducted himself. He had accepted the fact he had a lot to learn and had maintained an open mind. Their wedding had opened him up even more as it was discovered Billy was a latent telepath. His skills had increased through training to the extent where he could now speak with others and had a sixth sense about danger.

"Do you miss them?" Cestria asked.

"Sometimes," Billy replied. "But my heart is here now, with you."

The two lonely figures were silent as they watched the stars above them, unaware that in the not too distant future their happiness would come to an abrupt end.

* * *

The security of the planets within their jurisdiction was something many within the Galactic Council took lightly. The deployment of Ranger teams on many worlds had ensured that early warning had become a convenience as opposed to being a necessity. Aquitar was one of many worlds that were ignored. After the Hydro Contaminators had been forced to sign a peace deal, the world was considered safe from further attacks.

However long before the Council had adopted its negligent stance to planetary defence, Zordon of Eltare, the being assigned to ensure the safety of the Earth had spent a brief period aiding the Aquitians to protect themselves. He had proved to them that security was not something that could be taken lightly. High above the planet he had positioned satellites, three thousand six hundred to be precise. They were supported by similar sensor arrays positioned strategically throughout the star system and interlinked through automated monitoring systems on outlying planets. Combined with the hardware they had positioned inside the Aquitian Command Center, the machinery provided a sensor net that could detect objects approaching from any direction. And when needed they could be used to observe the events on any other planet in the star system.

It was satellite 2681 that first detected up the problem. It accessed its memory subroutines and searched for a comparative event.

It had identified a Category D burst of energy accompanied by a twenty-six-second tear in fabric of space, clear indication that something had entered the solar system at speed in Sector DD24. Unable to detect the source of the energy surge, the satellite sent a routine request to its neighbouring satellites, asking for data confirmation.

Satellites 2680 to 2688 reported no record of such an observation. It ran a second memory check, this time deciding to check with some of the other detectors positioned throughout the solar system. The request came back as negative, not really surprising given the area the outer scanners had to cover and the satellite's logic circuit decided that in light of the lack of evidence, it had been a false reading.

Satellite 2681 removed the alert marker it had been preparing to transmit and instead logged a maintenance request to deal with a suspected misaligned lens. This marker was then transmitted to the Command Center's computer system for possible follow up.

The computer in the Command Center received the report, prioritised it in accordance with its database and scheduled a full system check as soon as it was possible to do so. The actual anomaly was placed in a sub folder of unknown events and ignored when Corcus printed the overnight reports on the printer Billy had acquired from somewhere, and then neatly filed in a cabinet somewhere near the Battle Borgs' Holding Area.

So it was that a tiny object no bigger than an average human landed on Aquitar without resistance and after ensuring there would be no investigation into his arrival, went as planned. Minion was on Aquitar, not to conquer the planet, but to unleash something that would prevent the Aquitians offering assistance to the Earth in the near future.

Allowing his instincts to guide him, Minion teleported to the remote side of Aquitar, a place that had been deemed too deep for colonisation during the time that the Hydro Hog had terrorised the world. It was referred to as the Dark Waters of Aquitar over which the Hydro Hog had claimed ownership. It was the high levels of sodium and other heavy metals though that made the area unpopular. Once it had been one of the deepest oceans on the planet. Now after some strange seismic activity, it was a barren waste.

Well, almost barren. In the center of the miniature desert, in an area once deemed too dark to explore even with flashlights, there appeared to be a pool of water. It had been there for an eternity creating the chemicals that prevented Aquitians from staying there too long. Its still surface reflected the light like a giant mirror giving it an undeserved feeling of calm. But it wasn't a body over water; it was a pool of accumulated darkness, twisted and evil it was prevented from dissipating by a barrier of light magic.

It marked a doorway to another dimension, a one-person prison created generations ago. It held the remains of a warrior who had fallen in battle during a great war. It had taken great sacrifice to seal darkness within, but could not prevent some of the darkness from seeping through to poison the waters.

At the boundary of the desert, Minion stopped. He sighed, preparing himself for the difficulty he had yet to face. The being he had come to find was a legend on Aquitar and elsewhere. He was also well known in the circles of inner society for being stubborn as he was ugly.

And speaking of ugly, he had not forgotten his own good looks or lack there of. He definitely was not the clone he had been before his time in the Dark Dimension. He reached for the top of his hood and pulled, feeling the weight and the closeness pull away, several times the small ringlets, sewn into his entire garb to add weight, caught skin and teased him with its cold strokes. He moved on to undo and remove the rest of his outer garb, as the clothing fell to the floor the clinking of the ringlets could be heard. He was not naked, but compared to the protection he had had just minutes before, he might as well have been.

Minion gave his body the once, critically examining himself for the first time since his release. ~This is not the body of a warrior,~ he thought as he noted how lack of use had lost him some of the tone that Mistress Repugna had helped him achieve. ~A soldier, maybe, but not a warrior and never a conqueror.~ What was it that Dagsyxx had called him, a pawn? That was what he resembled at the moment.

His body was puckered with scars, mementos of the wounds he had inflicted upon his own person while enduring the agony of the curse. As he stared, he reminded himself of how thin he was, not that he kept some of the muscles he had developed, but the muscles weren't as bulky or defined as they had once been. He missed that extra size and strength, though he was grateful that the loss of size had enabled him to maintain some speed and agility.

His head still surprised him, where once he had had hair it was now bald and decorated with even more scars, he couldn't even remember what he was expecting in his face, hidden beneath his mask he hadn't bothered reminding himself for too long.

Then there were the eyes. He never used to have red eyes that glowed. They were an indication of the changes he had endured. They were a taint that marked him as different, symbolised his escape from death and alluded to his new status as a pawn. The latter he could blame on the Rangers. Had they not defeated him, outwitted him twice, he would never have been forced to obey Dagsyxx.

With purpose, Minion approached the pool of water, which seemed to bubble as he reached it, as if issuing a warning that it may hide a hot spring within. But Minion knew his reasons for seeking out this spot and would not be tricked by this display, carefully he placed a finger in the pool and was unsurprised when they got no deeper than the fingernails, he withdrew his finger and watched as the semisolid substance covering the barrier oozed off the end, plopping obscenely when it dropped back.

Beyond he knew he would find the being he sought, the one who would ensure the Aquitians played no part in the upcoming battle. All he had to do was provide an opening, since like all prison doors, it required someone on the outside to open it and to provide a verbal invitation for the occupant to step back into the real universe; the latter was a safety precaution to prevent the prisoner from assaulting some poor fool who unwittingly opened a dangerous criminal's cell door. He looked in, and was almost certain he could feel his quarry watching him, beckoning him to enter.

"Turn it off or I'll leave you here," he said firmly as his clothing replaced itself. At once the presence shifted from his mind. Not that he would have succeeded in controlling Minion anyway since Dagsyxx's mental imprint was already etched into his mind.

"Now," he said, without turning his eyes away from the darkness. "Please, step through."

The effect was immediate. The Wall of Light expanded like a balloon, stretching outwards towards him. Minion remained in place, not afraid of a little light magic although there was considerably more than a little magic. The darkness seeped through the light, forming a skin that touched him and then faded away. Minion raised his head, as the last blurring effects of the wall left his vision. Before him stood the being he had come to find: Navius, the Butcher of Aquitar.

"Come," Minion said when it was clear that the ancient plunderer was aware of his surroundings. "We have a great deal to discuss."

* * *

The Aquitian thumbed his communicator and bought it to his lips, "Control, Corcus"

"Corcus, this is Control" A warbling voice responded through the device, "Proceed with your report"

The Aquitian male looked around, considering the scene before him. Morphed the man would be the Black Ranger for this planet, part of a team dedicated to the protection of the planet and preservation of order, but following the recent peace with the Hydro Contaminators, which had left the planet changed forever, the Rangers had been involved in more day to day tasks that didn't require the use of their Ranger powers.

Currently he was standing at the place where Minion had first landed, examining the burnt ground with interest. Cestro would have been intrigued, Corcus was merely cautious. The area around him was plain enough, one of the few landmass areas on the planet, the ground lacking obstruction in all direction and with the exception of the scorching, there was nothing obviously wrong. So why was he worried?

"A little over an hour ago," Corcus began, assuming a level tone to ensure communication "after surveying damage to the habitation complex in sector 7-9-2, Lieutenant Oceas, of the Aquitian Defence Force, who was escorting me on my duties received notification from Control that an unidentified energy signature had entered atmosphere and had been overlooked by myself. Since the projected landing was in this sector, Oceas requested that we, as the nearest unit, go to the location it appeared."

"Whatever landed here is both intact and mobile. The energy signature shows signs of scattering."

"He teleported." That was Cestro, obviously the Ranger serving as liaison for the day.

"Yes, we guessed the same. I have no idea where he went though."

"He's gone off planet Corcus," Cestro told him. "I have two energy signatures leaving from a site on the far side of the planet. One of them matches. See if you can find out what it was up to."

* * *

Corcus' search had come up empty handed. However near to where the cave had been, he had discovered a small device that he had taken back to base and waited for Cestro to analyse.

"From what we can figure out," Cestro stated to the assembled crowd of unmorphed Aquitian Rangers and defence staff, "It's some sort of automaton, though its primary function is as a stationary beacon..."

"Or alarm" the human, Billy Cranston, added looking up from the circuit boards he was examining "As soon as Corcus uncovered it it's been sending out some kind of signal on local channels, and though we've cleared it from our frequencies, it's still transmitting"

"Are you able to make out any specific messages?" Aurico asked.

"Not at this time," Billy replied "it appears that the language is either too advanced or too primitive for the translator units"

Billy looked back down at the machine on the table, trying to piece the puzzle together in his head.

The automaton was primarily a cylindrical body measuring about 1.6 metres in length, with a wide array of sophisticated appendages arranged around its cylindrical body, the cap-like head featured a cluster of corroded sensors and equipment. It seemed to be kept in one location for the duration of its service. By wiring in a series of monitors, Billy and Cestro had managed to find that it was receiving a variety of scans - accurate photography, zoom-identified details, magnetic imaging, thermal imagery, computer "virtualisation", and some form of bio-scan that seemed to show power levels.

As Cestro continued to discuss details with his fellow Aquitians, Billy spotted a small glowing panel under a layer of dirt, to his eyes it looked to be barely the size of a bottle cap, curious he moved to dust it off with his finger but as he touched the panel a beam of light shot out. Perhaps now they would get some answers.

* * *

On the small moon of the planet known as Miro-7, Navius the Butch of Aquitar and one of the most feared figures in Aquitian legend, listened to what his rescuer had to say. In some ways Minion's words excited him, but he remained calm by reminding himself that villains didn't offer opportunities unless they too had something to gain. He wanted to know why Minion was so keen for him to resume his dominance of Aquitar.

"And what do you gain from this little arrangement?" he asked. "Or do you expect me to believe that this is an act of charity."

Minion snorted. "Of course not. When you destroy the Aquitian Rangers, I will be free to strike at the Earth without the worry of reinforcements."

Navius considered the offer. It was as tempting to say yes as it was to rip Minion's head off and attack this so-called Earth himself. He wasn't a fool, Minion would not have aided him unless he had something greater to gain. Alas the desire to regain his rightful kingdom determined his priorities and he nodded his consent.

"Defeat the Aquitian Rangers and you can have the planet," Minion repeated for the third time.

"And its population?" Navius asked.

"Anything on the planet is yours. You can even take the Power Coins if you wish."

"Very well," Navius said after some thought. "We will go now!"

* * *

Aurico, the Red Aquitian Ranger, sat in the command chair of the Aquitian Command Center's Orbital Surveillance Module. As normal it was his turn to watch over the planet's early warning system manned by dedicated Aquitian soldiers. Although the planet was at peace, it had long been accepted that in order price of peace was constant vigilance. And unlike the Council, the population of Aquitar did not take their defence lightly.

As a result and in addition to the satellite network, which had already proven itself incapable of successfully analysing every threat, the Aquitians took turns in monitoring the planet's defences, ensuring that any unusual activity could be investigated early without the need for force. Misunderstandings could be sorted and threats could be dealt with, without costing the lives of innocent beings.

"Sir," Corino called. "We have something on long range scans."

Aurico moved over to where the young Aquitian was sitting. Corino was new to the task of lookout, and as such had a tendency to over react. Fortunately for Aurico the younger officer was also a quick learner and had only needed to be told once. Now he just alerted his superior officer instead of the whole planet.

Aurico walked across to where the junior officer was sitting and took a look at the image on the screen. Something large was heading into Aquitar's system at hyper-speed. Deciding that it might be worth a closer look, Aurico activated the comm link to the nearest patrol craft.

"Captain Salm," he said as the image of the ship's senior officer appeared.

"Ranger Aurico," the captain replied politely.

"We have a large unidentified ship entering the system," Aurico told him. "It's not transmitting any identification. Would you mind taking a look?"

Captain Salm smiled, obviously glad to be doing something. "Certainly Ranger Aurico, we will check."

Aurico waited until the captain deactivated his view screen before sending a telepathic message to the other Rangers.

*Tideus, Delphine, Cestro, Corcus, we might have trouble.*

*On our way,* Delphine replied.

Aurico then activated the emergency system to alert the rest of Aquitar to standby.

* * *

Navius had wanted to teleport back to Aquitar, but Minion had insisted that the old tyrant used a ship he had gotten from somewhere. Navius was not thrilled with the prospect since his forces were on Aquitar, awaiting his telepathic command to rise and destroy all that stood in their path.

They were purple creatures covered with scales. Standing on two legs, they had round bodies that lack a separate head. Their green eyes peered out at the height of a human's chest and the mouths filled with row after row of razor sharp teeth. They had tails, long slender lengths of muscle tipped with a spiked end and short arms that ended with clawed fingers. They moved with some difficulty since out of water they felt the full effects of their weight.

"Well," Navius said to nobody in particular, "it appears we have been detected. A ship is approaching from Aquitar."

~This should be interesting,~ Navius thought to himself.

"Unidentified ship, this is Aquitar Defence Craft C79, please state your course and intentions." The message repeated itself several times on a continuous loop over the communications system.

"No answer," he instructed the Hydron. "Let them get closer."

He turned to another of his troops and ordered, "Prepare to fire when we are in range and then switch on the subspace antenna. It's time they learn who we are."

* * *

Aquitar Defence Craft C79 was a six-man shuttle designed for high-speed interception. The craft had a rectangular body with a slanting nose at the front. On the bottom of each side it had a ski that housed the engines and provided extra manoeuvrability. As standard for the model the designers had not included weaponry other than a small laser for self-defence.

Captain Salm sat in his command chair, waiting for the unidentified craft to respond. There was something familiar about the way the ship was approaching, but he couldn't place it.

"No response sir," the Communications Officer reported.

"Keep trying," Captain Salm replied. "Helm, take us closer."

The ship continued towards the oncoming vessel. As they got nearer the other ship dropped out of hyper space just short of Aquitar.

"Sir, that ship is announcing itself as belonging to Navius," the Helmsman stated, panic evident in his voice.

"Nonsense, Navius is a myth. Still, better to play it safe. Set a course for the planet!" Salm ordered. He turned to the Communications Officer and said, "Send a message to Aquitar, top priority. We'll deal with this Navius on our terms."

The whole ship rocked as it was hit by a blast of laser fire. A second more powerful shot crippled the shields and the third shot caused the ship to explode.

* * *

"Replay" Billy said, his voice crisp and clear. He must have misheard. He begged whatever deity looked down on the Aquitian people that he had misheard. Beeps and whirring followed, which Billy now recognised as the voice recognition confirming and the system preparing to launch its hologram playback.

Since the teen had skimmed the front panel of the machine, it had managed to set-up an internal translation package based on his vocalisations, enabling the machine to recognise the Earthen language and to translate its media accordingly. That media had already been replayed seven times since it's uncovering, every time leading to in depth discussion on suppositions between the Aquitians in the room. To Billy the message was clear: ~This is probably very bad.~ Since then things had been getting worse.

The Aquitian Rangers had been called to a meeting some time ago and Billy had a feeling it was more than a coincidence.

A tinny voice emerged from the machines speakers, "Visitor. Warning. Be advised that by order of the Galactic Council, this site has been designated as restricted under Act Twenty-Thr -"

"Skip," Billy interrupted "Restart at point 12."

A whirring noise followed and from the capped head a green beam was emitted, slowly forming inside was the head of a humanoid. The mouth of the holo-image was already moving, speaking in a different language, before the dub caught up "I am Tscable, Yellow

Grid Master. The area you have entered is the prison zone of Navius, the Butcher of Aquitar. Navius should be considered at all times infinitely dangerous."

At that moment the alarm sounded and Billy groaned. He had hoped it would be a coincidence, but no such luck. Aquitar was under attack.

* * *

Aurico and the other Rangers watched the explosion on the monitor. As emergency systems were started, the five Aquitian Rangers together with Billy and Cestria were teleported to a command room where they prepared for battle. Although Cestria was not officially a Ranger, she had been given the task of acting as the Rangers' eyes and ears when they were in combat. Billy on the other hand was a Ranger. Although he could no longer draw on his powers, he had the experience and spirit to fight to defend the planet.

*Planetary Defences have been activated,* Delphine advised the others in the room.

Despite the fact they still had no idea who they were facing, the Rangers had decided to take no chances after witnessing the C79 destroyed. Aquitar had a formidable defensive plan against invaders, and although the defence grid had not been completely repaired since the battle with the Hydro Contaminators, it was still sufficient to see off most attackers.

As the planet's armed forces activated the defence systems the planet's shield was shifted into position. Covering the entire surface of Aquitar, the shield was a defence against bombardment from orbit and the occasional meteor strike. On the planet's surface the floating cities were pulled towards the raised islands to act as cover for the more valuable cities below. On each platform a set of weapon systems were brought online; surface to space missile systems designed to fire on enemy targets.

Finally, the entire population of Aquitar was warned about the possible attack. With the defences in place, the final say in defending the planet was in the hands of the Aquitian Rangers.

*We're getting a signal,* Tideus reported.

The monitor screen came to life revealing a face that the Rangers had hoped never to see. "This is Navius calling the planet Aquitar. By my order you will surrender."

To emphasise the point the planet was hit by a blast from Navius's ship. Despite the shields deflecting the blast, the whole planet shook from the assault.

"You have two hours to surrender," Navius added as the screen went blank.

* * *

The Rangers did not surrender of course and two hours later the battle for the planet Aquitar was underway. It was only when the battle had commenced that the Rangers had noticed the gap in their defences. Aquitar was all set to defend from attack from space, but ill prepared to repel the forces Navius called on. The bulk of his warriors had been sleeping in the deepest depths of Aquitar's oceans until he returned. As Navius' ship and his crew of Hydrons had bombarded the shield from above, the rest of his forces moving in to attack from behind.

The Aquitians were fierce warriors and fought back against the invaders. Although they were outnumbered, their weapons cut through line after line of Navius's creatures. The Hydrons were as stupid as they were ugly and no matter how many of their brethren were cut down by the Aquitian warriors, they continued to push forward.

As the fighting continued it became clear to the planet's defenders that swords and spears were more effective against the Hydron army than blaster bolts. The Rangers had morphed and thrown themselves into battle, inspiring their forces to fight harder. Cestria found Billy watching the battle from his own private chambers where he had been shifted when the fighting had moved too close to the Command Center. He had been told not to intervene in the battle unless he was forced to do so.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

"I am trying to ascertain the method Navius utilised to crack the planet's shielding." The bombardment from above was just as lethal as the forces on the ground. "If I can discover a way to reverse the action, we can restore the defences." He paused long enough to watch the Rangers cut their way through another line of Navius's troops.

"Oh no," Cestria commented. Navius had just summoned a sea monster to breach the walls of the Aquitian cities. The Rangers had summoned their Battleborgs in response.

Only now after spending time getting to know the Rangers did Billy realise just how unsuitable their Battleborgs were for the environment of Aquitar. When he had been told that Ninjor had given the Aquitians their machines, he had assumed it had been because their powers were the same as he and his fellow Earth Rangers had gained from Ninjor. This was true. However, just because the Battleborgs complemented the Rangers didn't mean they were suited to the environment of Aquitar. Underwater they were at a disadvantage.

That was why Cestro and Billy had created the Shark Zords. Delphine piloted the Great White Shark, Aurico the Red Hammerhead, Corcus the Black Bull Shark, Cestro the Blue Shark and Tideus the Seal Shark Zord. Together they merged into the Aquitian Megazord.

"Billy, what's wrong?" Cestria asked. She could sense her lover was uneasy, but not about losing the battle.

"Something is not right," Billy replied. "From what Cestro told me, Navius was an active warrior leader, not a commander who sat in the background. Where is he?"

"Maybe he's waiting for something," Cestria suggested.

Billy nodded and continued to watch the fight.

With teamwork that had been perfected through years of experience and trust the Rangers fought back against Navius's forces. Despite the numbers, the Aquitians had been able to hold back the Hydrons, allowing the Rangers to take on the larger monsters one at a time. Up until this point the line had held and the cities had been easy for them to defend.

Then the odds changed as Navius somehow managed to summon monsters from even deeper depths of the Dark Waters, sending them against the Aquitians. These creatures were larger and more powerful than normal, drawing their strength from the dark side of the planet.

They had just battled down a monstrous squid when the watery hydra had surfaced. From there the Rangers had slowly but surely been driven back by their opponents. Like a true hydra, every time they removed a head, three more grew in its place.

Billy and Cestria watched the battle as it moved backwards and forwards across the planet. The Aquitian Megazord and the Battleborgs were more than a match for the new creatures.

"Billy, there's something wrong with the Zords," Cestria called suddenly.

Billy looked at the screen and swore when he noticed the Yellow Battle Borg had stopped moving. *Tideus,* he called, hoping not to disturb the other Rangers. There was no response. As he watched Billy noticed both Corcus and Cestro had stopped fighting as well. Their Borgs were fighting automatically, but when attacked by multiple heads, they were relatively defenceless.

"*Delphine!*" Billy called, both telepathically and audibly.

The monitor angle changed to show the Rangers under attack from an unseen collection of warriors. They stood on two legs and had four arms, the lower pair armed with pincers. The Rangers' weapons seemed incapable of penetrating the thick shell like armour and under the heavy blows of the newcomers, they eventually succumbed.

"We have to warn the others," Billy told his wife desperately. "Normal weapons won't work. Cestria?"

"Too late Ranger," a voice said.

Billy turned to see one of Navius's monsters standing in the doorway, a knife pressed against Cestria's throat. Determined not to hurt an innocent while attempting to save a Ranger who might already be dead, Billy had no choice but to surrender. He placed a small knife in his pocket as he did so, keeping hold of it for later.

* * *

A burst of boiling liquid tore through the Yellow, Black and Blue Battleborgs. With three opponents disabled the hydra turned its attention to the White and Red Battleborgs. The snapping mouths combined with the superheated liquid had the Rangers' machines beaten. Navius's reserves had not only managed to sneak up on the Rangers, they had disabled three of them and were now aiming for Aurico and Delphine. A cheer was heard as the White Ranger collapsed, signalling their victory.

Just before the White Aquitian Ranger fell, she held out her hand. The Power Coins from the other Rangers floated to her wait palm and she used her other hand to place her Coin on the top of the pile. Her eyes closed as she fought the exhaustion as a sixth coin appeared, unmarked but no doubt capable of tapping the Morphin Grid.

"Stop her!" Navius commanded.

It was too late though. Delphine threw the coins into the air and sent them to a new owner as was the custom of her people; the final act of a defeated Ranger. Then she collapsed.

With the Rangers gone, the Battleborgs vanished. Navius returned the hydra to the depths of the oceans, worried in case it chose to attack his own forces in place of its previous prey. As it did so the fight continued as the Aquitian people fought to protect their cities. By now it was clear that this was a losing battle. With the Rangers gone and the defences shattered, the best they could manage was to slow the enemy advance.

* * *

*William, it is time to wake up young Wolf.*

Billy opened his eyes as he felt somebody shaking him. Turning over he discovered the ropes he had been tied with were gone. He took the opportunity to look around his cell, hoping to find a way out.

Next to his feet were the ropes he had been tied up with and the knife he had taken the liberty of concealing earlier, when he had surrendered.

He noticed his cell must have been constructed a very long time ago. It was made of stone with a wooden door. Billy knew the Aquitians had put an end to crimes requiring incarceration years ago and assumed the cell may have been built by other inhabitants of the planet.

Billy took the time to study the door. It was locked by means of a key, which from an inspection of the lock was too complicated to copy in the form of a pick. Both the hinges were made of a dull metal embedded in the wooden door. Kneeling down he ran his hand along the bottom of the door and found no obvious gap in the bottom for leverage.

Standing upright he could feel an extra weight in the pockets of his jeans. Deciding to investigate he turned out the contents into his hand. Six golden coins were revealed, five with the symbols of the Aquitian Rangers. That he quickly realised, was a sign of how dire the situation had become; for the Rangers to send him their coins meant they were either defeated or worse. The sixth coin was slightly larger and lacked decoration. He assumed this had been the coin Cestria would have used when she eventually became a Ranger. It lacked the image of a spirit animal right now.

Billy quickly decided that he should escape first and then try to figure why he had the coins and how he had got them. Pulling himself up to the grill in the cell door, he looked out into the corridor. Outside his cell, two of Navius's Hydrons were on guard. He could also see six other cells, each carefully guarded.

*William, you must escape, now!* A familiar voice said.

*Ninjor?* He asked.

*It is I, young Wolf,* the ancient warrior seemed to say.

Billy realised this was not the same form of the communication as he shared with the Aquitian Rangers. Instead of hearing the message in his mind he felt it in every part of his body.

*What about the others,* Billy asked.

*You must help them. That is why you were given their coins. They underestimate you.* Ninjor told him. *Help the Rangers and they will inspire the people of Aquitar to fight on.*

Billy noticed that in his plan Ninjor made no mention that the Aquitian Rangers would succeed.

Billy felt something burning his hand. As he looked down, he noticed the Blue Ranger coin flashing, the image of the Blue Aquitian Ranger fading and a wolf becoming more prominent. Behind the Wolf Billy could just make out the images of a Triceratops, and a Unicorn.

*Morph Billy* Ninjor's voice said, more insistent.

With a mental shrug Billy decided to do what he was told. Placing the other coins in his pocket, he looked at the Wolf Coin. He had seen Cestro call on his power by flipping the coin in the air, but Billy doubted that would work for him. Instead he closed his eyes and mentally placed the coin in his pocket dimension. Then he remembered how he used to morph and imagined himself pulling his morpher from the pocket dimension with the coin in place. As he opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself holding the morpher with the coin inserted and ready for action.

"It's Morphin Time!" Billy called. "Wolf!"

For a moment Billy was overcome by the sensation of morphing again after such a long time. He opened his eyes to find himself in a costume similar to the one he had worn as Blue Ranger, but with the helmet shaped to resemble a wolf's head. He had expected to find himself in the uniform Cestro had worn as Blue Ranger. He quickly decided the person morphing and not the coins decided the uniform.

Outside his cell he could hear the sound of his guards trying to open the cell door. Drawing his Blade Blaster, he fired three times; the first tow shots striking the hinges and the third hitting the lock. Launching himself into the air Billy drop-kicked the door, knocking down the two Hydrons trying to open the door.

As he picked himself up off the floor, he once again drew his Blade Blaster and fired at the nearest Hydra. As the blast hit the Hydron, it exploded like a water balloon. Laying down a barrage of weapon fire, he made his way down the corridor, unsure which way he should be heading. The fireballs the Hydrons unleashed bounced harmlessly from his armour; unlike the Aquitian Rangers, the rise in temperature the impacts caused were uncomfortable not fatal.

*Turn left,* Ninjor's voice said.

Billy did as he was told, keeping his eyes open for any sign of the Hydras. The power of the Wolf combined with Ninjor's mental prodding gave Billy a keen sense of warning. Anytime one of Navius's soldiers tried to sneak up from behind Billy was able to fire his blaster and destroy them. Not that they proved difficult to defeat. If anything, they seemed to grow weaker with each passing minute.

His journey ended when he reached the control room the Rangers had used as their control center. Inside he could make out some of Navius's troops. Delphine had been tied to a chair, her neck exposed to the Hydron's claws. In front of her Navius was standing, a knife placed against Cestria's neck.

Every fibre of Billy's body wanted to rush in and rescue his friends, but with both their lives on the line he could not guarantee their safety. Instead Billy decided to try another approach.

*Cestria,* he called, hoping she had enough strength to reply. From what he had seen Navius had only provided the two females with enough water to stay alive.

*Billy?* the reply came.

*I'm outside the door,* he sent back.

*Get away,* he heard Cestria call. *They're going to kill us.*

As Billy watched, he saw Navius slap Delphine across the face again. "Worthless Ranger. This planet was mine before that pitiful Council interfered. This is for making me waste my time conquering my own planet."

*Delphine,* Billy called. *Tell him to look behind him.*

Using his Ranger powers to analyse the situation Billy managed to find a shot, which would hopefully free Delphine and Cestria. As Delphine spoke the three villains turned to face him, thus releasing their captives slightly. Billy hoped it was enough. Aiming at the ceiling, he fired a single shot, causing the roof to cave in. As he had hoped Cestria was pushed clear as Navius and his soldiers tried to escape the rubble. Delphine meanwhile had taken her cue from Billy and had managed to strike a Hydron in the face with the chair, causing him to fall over.

Unfortunately he had not counted on the other Hydrons that walked around the corner at that moment and attacked without hesitation. The flames missed their targets, but drew the moisture from the environment, quickly leaving both Delphine and Cestria in a state of severe heat exhaustion and dehydration. Billy attacked, dispatching their attackers before further damage could take place. But now he had the added problem that both Cestria and Delphine were in a critical state. He had to get them away from there as soon as possible, but wherever he went had to have sufficient pure water to restore them to normal health. He had not noticed before, but as Navius had summoned more of his warriors, so the waters of Aquitar had been polluted.

* * *

Despite carrying two Aquitians, Billy made good progress towards the nearest cloudbank. His plan was simple: restore Delphine so she could morph and then rescue the others. He froze when he heard a group of Aquitians screaming not far away.

Leaving Delphine and Cestria with the water Billy made his way to the nearest view port. From there he could see the Hydrons moving through the makeshift containment camps, randomly killing the captive population and instilling fear in the others.

He heard a scream from behind. As he turned, he saw a Hydron moving towards the spot where Cestria was lying.

"No!" Billy cried, his rage fuelling him as he leapt towards the shadow. "Power Lance!" he called as he landed.

The Power Lance formed in his hands. Spinning the weapon quickly Billy advanced on the foot-soldier. It reached towards Billy, Cestria groaning uncomfortably as the fireball it held drained the vital moisture from her pores. With an effort Billy channelled his power into the Power Lance. He drove the weapon forward and watched as the Hydron exploded, splashing Cestria with blood.

Billy was at her side in an instant.

"B.. illy," Cestria said as he cradled her head. "So sor.."

After demorphing, Billy fished into his pocket and pulled out Delphine's Power Coin. All the Rangers had accelerated healing, but it was also possible for the White Ranger to heal others. Billy had decided a long time ago that each Ranger had a different skill to bring to the team. He hoped that the White Ranger's power to heal others would allow her to heal herself.

"Delphine, morph," Billy told her as he placed the coin in her hand. He placed the blank coin in Cestria's hand, but his wife was already limp in his arms.

"Aquitar Ranger Power!" Delphine called. By this time she had had enough water to at least try. But when she looked into the eyes of the woman Billy held in his arms, she knew it was too late. "I'm sorry Billy."

As Billy watched and Delphine spoke, Cestria's body glowed white for a second as the healing attempt failed. Then it was still. Apart from cleaning some of the wounds Billy was disappointed to find the healing powers had done little to help, no doubt due to Delphine's own injuries. In desperation Billy tried to revive her with some water, but in his heart he knew that Cestria was gone.

"Don't blame yourself Billy," Delphine said as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "She is free." She paused, not wanting to sound callous but aware that this was not the time for mourning. Her own wound was such that she doubted she would be fighting in the near future. "Billy, we must try to help the others."

Reluctantly, Billy demorphed and placed Cestro's coin with the others and offered them to her. "Find the others, free the prisoners and try to organise a counter attack. I have other things to do." His words were cold and the worried look in Delphine's eyes meant she understood how close this event had come to pushing her Earth friend over the edge. Still, he was pleased to see that she just nodded and made her way into the camp.

Billy felt the Power leave him as he handed Delphine the coins but she refused them. "I cannot morph now Billy. Keep them, pass them to those who can use them." He had known at that moment that Delphine would not survive long. He took the coins back and while he pocketed Cestro's, he kept the blank one for himself, hoping it would be helpful. As it happened, that was enough for him to transform again. On instinct he let loose a wild howl of anger and outrage before gaining control. Now was not the time to grieve the loss of Cestria. When the others were safe, he would have time to for that.

* * *

The time had come. It was time for Navius to reveal the reason he was the Butcher of Aquitar. It was time to transform the oceans of Aquitar into a dead sea.

He was seven feet tall although given his stout body it was difficult to tell. His legs and arms were thick limbs of muscle without bone. He had two toes on the front of each foot and one toe around the back of the heel. In addition to two arms that had normal hand on the end, he had four additional arms consisting of tentacles. His skin was composed of black scales. He wore dark green armour on his shins and white armour on his upper body. He had a thick face with yellow eyes and a fat nose. A helmet that would have looked at home on an old Earth diver protected it.

He was carrying a length of chain attached to the end of a large harpoon type weapon. He was dangerous, the greatest killer in Aquitian history and he was free to resume his reign of terror. The Rangers had fought well against his forces, the Beasts of the Dark Waters. But they had yet to understand that he had risen from the darkest depths.

Around him the Hydrons waited for his next command. They wanted blood and he would not disappoint them.

"Go," Navius commanded. "Bring this planet to its knees"

* * *

Billy's escape from his cell had damaged the door to Aurico's cell. With all the strength he could muster Aurico struggled out of his cell and freed his fellow Rangers. Although still lacking Delphine they all agreed to try to help Billy. Their Power Coins were gone, but they were still linked to the Ninja Powers.

"Aquitian Ranger Power!" they called together.

The Rangers found themselves clothed in half-powered costumes complete with face masks. Attached to the front of their costumes was a set of shurikens. The Rangers reached out and took a weapon from subspace.

Aurico found himself wielding a powerful broadsword. Moving it through the air he could see the faint red glow on the tip of the blade.

Corcus found himself holding a bow staff. A black cloak was attached to the back of his uniform.

Cestro was holding a small axe. On his left hand a set of steel blades appeared.

Finally, Tideus was armed with a set of Sais. He hooked the weapons into his belt and prepared for hand-to-hand combat.

Together the Rangers made their way out of the cellblock, looking for any indication of which dome they were in. As they rounded the corner, they were confronted by four Hydrons.

Despite their best attempts to fight back, the weakened Rangers were overrun by Navius's forces. Still they fought on, costing their attackers the element of surprise and buying their soldiers time.

Corcus managed to hold out the longest, using a decoy technique to escape his attackers and then strike back. As he drove his staff into the last monster's chest, the monster collapsed to the ground. Corcus turned around in time to see the Navius's harpoon slicing through the air towards him. He ducked, it smashed into the wall behind him and Navius smiled cruelly as he jerked the wall down on top of the Black Ranger.

* * *

Billy made his way towards the communication center. As he entered, he was surprised to find it unguarded, although after careful observation he discovered the equipment had been smashed beyond repair. Deciding to improvise Billy opened his subspace pocket and pulled out the toolkit he had designed a while for working on the Zords.

It took him a few seconds to find the equipment he needed: a coil of wire, power cell, and a voice encoder unit and a soldering iron. Carefully opening the main communications console he cleared the wrecked components out of the way, using his Blade Blaster on some of the larger components.

Using the existing wiring at the back of the console, Billy connected the power cell to the antenna on the top of the dome. He then connected the voice encoder to the power cell, using the coil as an amplifier. Now all he had to do was send the message and hope the transmitter dish was pointing the right way. After placing the toolbox back in subspace he was disappointed to find he did not have enough power to send the signal to Earth.

Sighing he demorphed and placed his coin into the coil. As the energy started to flow, he sent his message.

"Help! This is Billy Cranston, former Blue Ranger of Earth now residing on Aquitar calling. Hostile forces have taken control of Aquitar and are killing its population. If anybody receives this message please send help immediately."

Billy was about to send the message again when he heard a noise behind him. He grabbed his coin and rolled out of the way as Navius's harpoon sliced through the communication systems, destroying his makeshift communicator.

"Wolf!" Billy called as he tried to morph again.

*Don't let his weapon touch you young Wolf,* he heard Ninjor say.

Ducking as the sharp weapon moved towards him, Billy summoned his Power Lance and parried the blow. Both Billy and Navius were thrown to the ground as the electricity pushed them away from each other.

"I already killed your friends," Navius said. There was a heavy thump as Aurico's battered body was unceremoniously dumped on the ground. "Don't cry human, now you can join them," the villain mocked.

Billy growled, charging up his Power Lance.

The two enemies battle back and forth, attacking and blocking each other's move. Finally Navius was able to slip past Billy's defences. Using a cutlass blade he slashed Billy across the chest, knocking the Blue Ranger to the ground again. Raising his new sword, Navius moved closer.

Billy waited until the villain was within reach, then jumped to his feet and kicked the behemoth's knee. Before the Navius could react, Billy scissor-kicked his neck, using a sidekick to knock him down.

"Arghhh!" the villain yelled in pain as he unleashed a blast from his eyes.

Billy found himself lifted from the ground, unable to avoid further attacks. In desperation Billy summoned Cestro's sword and threw it at one of the villain's tentacles. As expected, Navius was distracted. Seeing his chance Billy waited until Navius had turned away from him and the eye beams were no longer holding him. He rolled to the ground and split his Power Lance in half.

As Navius finally regained his composure and once again advanced on the Ranger, Billy ran at him, leapt into the air and energised his weapons. Striking with first the left half of the Power Lance, then the right half and finally stabbing both parts into the armoured helmet Billy stepped back as Navius collapsed to the ground.

Billy followed through, allowing his grieve to fuel his anger. The Rangers were gone; he had not missed bodies behind Navius when he had entered. Aurico's corpse had confirmed the identity of the others. Cestria was gone and with her loss, his life on Aquitar was at an end. When this was all over, they would be too busy dealing with the many civilians who were injured or worse dead to care about a lone human.

His efforts were not sufficient though. Even as Navius grew to full height, breaking through the dome and into the open air, Billy recognised that this fight would continue for some time to come. And with the Rangers, the Blue Ranger doubted that the Aquitians were likely to emerge victorious.

Billy rolled as he felt the end of the harpoon hit the ground. With Navius at full height Billy knew he was outmatched. Drawing his Blade Blaster Billy fired, hoping he could cause some damage to the giant monster.

*Billy,* he heard Ninjor's voice say again. *Call on your Zord.*

*The Zords are gone,* Billy replied.

He remembered the two Zords he had operated before Master Vile had manipulated time with the Orb of Doom. The Ninja Zord had been at times the most powerful Zord he had ever controlled and the Blue Shogun Zord had made even that Zord seem weak.

*Call on the Zords Blue Ranger,* Ninjor insisted.

Trusting the his former teacher, Billy closed his eyes. With Ninjor's spirit guiding him, Billy reached deep into the Blue Ranger powers.

* * *

Billy found himself drifting down a corridor towards three blue doors. Behind them he realised were the powers of the Blue Ranger. The first draw was marked by the Triceratops. The second door had the image of the Unicorn on it. The image of the Wolf was on the third door.

Billy considered which door to open and chose the third door. As the door opened, knowledge flowed into his mind, telling him how to operate the Wolf Zord. Placing his hands on his belt Billy teleported back to reality.

* * *

"Blue Battle Borg online!" Billy called.

As he watched the might warrior appeared in front of him, now fully recovered from its battle with Navius's monsters. With Billy guiding its moves, the Battle Borg was barely able to hold its own against the villain.

With a quick swipe Navius struck the Battle Borg with the razor tips of his tentacles. The harpoon weapon was still in use, but Navius had kept it attached to the launcher as a blade. It was redundant though as Navius used his other arms to strike the Battle Borg's arm.

"Ninja Wolf Zord, Power Up!" Billy called as the pain from the Battle Borg was transferred back to its operator.

As he leapt into the air, Billy was transported to the cockpit of his Zord. As it accelerated towards the monster, it pounced at the villain, trapping the monster's left arm with its teeth. The Battle Borg meanwhile had produced a larger version of Cestro's old sword and hacked at the other arm.

"Get off!" Navius demanded.

Large bolts of energy erupted from his arms, throwing the Zords to the ground. Inside the Wolf Zord Billy struggled to regain his senses.

"Blue Shogun Zord, now!"

As Billy called the most powerful of the three Zords appeared, armed with a version of the Power Lance. Billy teleported to the Shogun Zord's cockpit and the new Zord battled with Navius, who once again wielded his harpoon.

While Navius was distracted battling the Shogun Zord, the Battle Borg and Ninja Wolf Zord attacked. The Wolf Zord pounced on the monster as he tried to block a blow from the Shogun Zord. The impact knocked the villain off balance. The Battle Borg took the opportunity to jump from the Shogun Zord's shoulders, slicing the villain's harpoon weapon in half.

"Wolf Zords, full power!" Billy called, placing his power coin into the slot in the Shogun Zord's cockpit.

The Battle Borg stood up and ran towards the Shogun Zord, which opened to hold it. As the Battle Borg slipped inside the Shogun Zord closed around it to form a powerful body.

The Shogun Zord began to transform, its body changing from humanoid form into an animal form. The head retracted into the body, the arms transformed into the front legs and the legs transformed into the hind legs.

The Ninja Wolf Zord meanwhile pulled its legs and tail into the body along with the head. The body then transformed into a large wolf head and connected with the neck of the Shogun Zord. A loud growl erupted from the large wolf as it began its final assault on the stunned monster.

As the Zord ran it built up speed. Navius braced himself, expected the Zord to simply run through him. Instead, as the Zord reached its top speed Billy pressed a button on the control board. Claws emerged from each leg and the Zord opened its mouth wide and jumped. The rest of the battle was over with quickly. The Zord struck the powerful monster at full speed, its claws and teeth breaking through the monster's skin, ripping him to pieces. As each claw and tooth penetrated a bolt of blue energy was released as Navius teleported away. Exhausted Billy powered down the Zord and teleported to safety.

* * *

Billy awoke to find himself on the small landmass he had rested on the night Aquitar had been invaded. He had somehow demorphed and managed to stay safe. In the distance he could hear the sound of fighting. Navius's defeat had not signalled the end of the battle as he had hoped.

The Rangers were gone, but the planet's military were leading the counter attack and were even now struggling to keep the Hydrons from solidifying their hold on the planet. Even so, the future of Aquitar looked bleak. The planet was a mess and would be for decades to come. The environment had been messed up by whatever poisons Navius had released in the water. Many of the cities had been destroyed, many Aquitians had been killed. The platforms were damaged and would need time to fix, the defences were for the most part gone and until the last of the invaders were driven back, Aquitar was a very vulnerable world.

And to make things worse, Cestria was gone. He had loved her since the day he had met her if not as his true love then something very close. And she had been taken from him without the chance for him to say goodbye.

*Do you really think it is that easy to lose me William Cranston?*

"Cestria?" Billy asked in awe.

He was starting to feel her loss now and was certain this was what was causing him to hear her voice. Then he started to see the image of her in front of him and knew he was going mad.

*This is not an illusion,* Cestria's voice said. As Billy watched, she appeared in front of him. "I shall always be with you."

"I can't go on alone," Billy sobbed.

"You don't need to," Delphine told him as she and the other Aquitian Rangers appeared next to his fallen wife. "We are linked forever through love and the Power. Nothing can separate us, not even death."

Billy smiled as he felt his link to them strengthen. "I love you," he said to Cestria.

"I know," she replied. "But you still have work ahead of you Billy. Aquitar needs help, Ranger help."

Billy nodded. He knew that she wanted him to go to Earth and ask for help. It would not be the first time Aquitar had sought Zordon's age. Billy had no doubt their pleas would not be ignored this time.

He teleported the short distance to the shuttle station. An interplanetary teleport was out of the question, when the Command Center had fallen the teleportation apparatus had been destroyed. That meant that as much as he loathed the idea, he would have to use a shuttle pod.

"Time to go," he said to nobody in particular as he slipped into the launch area. There was the sound of engines warming up as the shuttle launched into the sky.

"Hang on guys," Billy whispered as he looked down at the planet he had called home for months. "I'll be back, I promise." Then he settled back and endured the journey, thoughts of Cestria distracting him from his fear of enclosed places at least for a short time.

* * *

Far away from Aquitar, Minion reviewed the events of the last few days. He had not expected Navius to lose; Billy regaining any sort of power had been unthinkable. But in the end he had to admit that things had turned out for the best. Billy was in transit and out of contact with the Rangers. Aquitar would fall before the Blue Ranger could return, Navius was not as gone as Billy thought. His goal had been accomplished regardless of what happened. Be it a short battle or a long war, the Aquitians were now too busy dealing with their own problems to help the Earthlings and Billy could be dealt with when he arrived.

Now it was time to deal with Trey.

**End **


	3. Tradition of Treason

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Tradition of Treason

_"I yearn to return to the battlefield, I crave the screams as I extinguish the lives of countless innocents. But I cannot, yet. The Earth is the key to my return. On that world or close by there is the apparatus I can use and its defenders are the greatest weapon the opposition possesses. The planet is a beacon of hope that has been shining for so long that few will miss it until it is extinguished. Go to Earth, secure me the machine I seek and prepare for my chosen's arrival. Then help him to destroy the ones known as the Power Rangers, and pave the way for my return to glory." _

He remembered the conversation although the words had somehow changed. The conversation he preferred to remember had given him the task of destroying the Power Rangers, had contained a promise that he could personally destroy Tommy Oliver and the others that had caused him to agree to Dagsyxx's terms. Although he would admit that the unrelenting pain of having his body torn apart had been a convincing argument.

Now he was faced with a choice, did he obey the orders that echoed through his mind or should he follow the orders that he believed that Dagsyxx should have given him? He wanted the Rangers destroyed and had taken the first step to ensure their destruction; the Aquitar campaign had proven a huge success. Without the Alien Rangers and Gold Ranger as backup, the Rangers could not afford to lose a single battle. He didn't care about Dagsyxx and his desire for a body or anything else for that matter. He was going to destroy the Rangers and then conquer the planet.

And so he decided to commence stage two of his plan: the removal of the Gold Ranger. And so he went to Triforia, a world where technological and spirituality had been combined in an atmosphere of learning and development. The royal family were seen in the same ways as the Egyptians of Earth had once viewed their Pharaohs. They were gods to be worshipped and adored by the population, their word to be obeyed above all others. The Nebka dynasty had reigned over the world for hundreds of thousands of years with one king succeeding another to bring a continuing sense of security and wealth to their people.

And while their beliefs made them appear simplistic, their society was anything but backwards. Art and music were valued, science reaching greater levels of development as their space exploration continued. Their soldiers were as capable with swords and shields as they were with bio-suits and antitank rockets. They were a race that while facing forward had never forgotten the dark past they had left behind.

Time had passed and some parts of the old ways had disappeared, making way for the new. Triforia had evolved, but while some of their superstitions had been left behind, the belief in the Golden Goddess who had bestowed on the people the means to protect themselves and the position of the Royal Family as their greatest protectors.

It was therefore amusing to Minion that his plan involved turning a member of the Royal Family against his own people. He had selected Terr, the black sheep of the family to aid him. Terr would gain power and wealth and in return Triforia would decline to answer any calls for help from its former allies.

Long ago Triforia Prime had sent forth ships to colonise its apparently barren neighbours, founding a great commercial empire between worlds. The Triforian System as the final commonwealth of worlds became known was blessed with a wide variety of animal and plant life. And although the majority of those on Triforia itself were clearly humanoid, on the other worlds it was a very different story.

The system consisted of three central suns around which, five planets orbited. The three primary planets were the same size as Earth and had the same atmosphere and gravity. They were named Triforia, Drallax and Zecht. The two smaller planets of Tralus and Talus were habitable, but had an increased level of gravity.

Triforia itself was the second planet from the suns and home to system's humanoid population. Time had caused them to abandon the religions of old, mindless and constant dedication now watered down to occasional pilgrimage. Science had confirmed the existence of the three intermingled souls that made up each Triforian humanoid, but so far the only recorded case of a manifestation of all three souls was Lord Trey, the current heir to the throne.

Triforia was the system's government and their representative to the Galactic Council. Therefore the King or High Lord of Triforia as some now called him was the ruler of the entire system. The traditional protector of the planet, the King Ranger had been replaced with the being known throughout the quadrant as the Gold Ranger. Seven sacred artefacts used by the King and the heir to ensure peace had been melted down to forge the mighty Golden Power Staff. The pyramid tombs had been moved to a new place where they would remain undisturbed by the planet's development. The exception was the fabled Dark Pyramid, which nobody dared to disturb.

Drallax was a desert world, dry and warm. Apart from a few speculators who mined the planet for precious metals, the planet considered too primitive to visit. The native Dralls were larger that Triforian humans with large hands. They usually lived underground and their bodies were developed for digging. The few creatures that lived on the surface were either scavengers or bandits. It was also the place where Triforians buried their dead, a process that dated back to the times of the pyramids. The dead were placed in caskets and then entombed in pyramids, which in turn teleported, the caskets into the neighbouring planet's core.

The third planet, Zecht, was a world similar to Earth. Instead of the high concentration of Iron in the air, the planet was mostly copper and had resulted in some bizarre life forms. At least six different races lived on the planet each with a separate continent. The blue skinned Ciss were the dominant life form. Next came the green dwarf like Bevins with their four eyes, the orange skinned Ssi-runs, the green skinned Dorrsks and the Quarren. Animal life was abundant and technology had reached its peak. In fact the only reason Triforia was the capital of the System was because the people on Zecht held little interest in politics.

Talus was in a unique orbit that meant it only benefited from the light of all three suns for one month of the year. It was cooler than the other worlds that required weather control to maintain a breeze. Its inhabitants were a highly aggressive and competitive race, which had reached the pinnacle of fighting prowess and then destroyed their weapons. Because their world had three suns, they shared the Triforian Humans' ability to split their souls. Instead of Heart, Mind and Courage, they were able to divide into good and evil. They had mostly green skin with enlarged ears and sharp teeth. They served as both defenders and advisors although it was the advisory role that they preferred.

The final planet in the Triforian System was Tralus. Smaller than the other planets, it was a modern world where nature had taken a back seat to urbanisation. Metal cities towered into the sky where floating platforms provided even more residential areas. Real estate was expensive and only the elite could afford to visit let alone live there. The native Morlos had found a way to produce medicines from the planet's crust, something that brought in a vast amount of money.

It was on Tralus that the Golden Power Staff had been forged from the molten gold within the seven artefacts that symbolised the power of the old kings. The secret chamber hundreds of miles under the surface was filled with precious metal and contained the tools necessary for the production of powerful weapons. It was rumoured but never confirmed that a great

Forge Master had once used the forge's vast resources to create Ranger armour and that it was he who had found the way to recreate the King Ranger into the Gold Ranger of modern times, allowing the wielder to control the wild energy known as magic through the use of a powerful crystal.

The forge had been sealed since that time and it was said that only a member of the royal family could open the vault. And so it was that one of Trey's brother had entered the most restricted zone in the Triforian Star System and had set with the aid of Minion followed a path that would make him king.

Terr had long been the scourge of the Triforian system, following in the beliefs of previous traitors that the regime was too weak to protect itself and that only through enforced rule could loyalty be assured. That the royal line had endured for hundreds of thousands of years made little impression on such people.

Terr had been one of the more successful traitors because he had dabbled in the dark arts of his planet's past. Centuries before he had been sentenced to death and only the refusal of Lord Trey had saved him from that fate. To many that refusal would have been a blessing, to Terr it was a humiliation that he swore to avenge. After serving years in prison, Terr had left Triforia, but recently he had been returned to the planet when they had discovered that he was preying on the populations of other worlds.

Though they could not punish him for acts committed off-world, he was technically under arrest in system. He had endured the unofficial restrictions, claiming that they were a necessity if he was to gain the forgiveness of the people, the same people he planned to use to further his schemes.

The public was concerned about how much time the Gold Ranger was spending on the planet Earth, especially given recent rumours that Trey had become incapable of maintaining the unity of soul that all Triforians cherished. Such a thing was unheard of by many and had been suggested by others as an indication that Trey had been judged unworthy of being the Gold Ranger.

Terr planned to capitalize on the situation and the xenophobia that existed about Earthlings. Many that didn't know any better considered the planet a primitive backwater. Such feelings could be used and Terr was a master at manipulation.

As the fourth born child of a Triforian noble, he was considered by many to be a part of the Royal Family. If left to fate, he would never ascend to the throne or hold the smallest amount of political influence. Of course with the will of the people on his side and the accidental death of the Royal Family, anything could be possible. Providing of course he could devise a suitable accident. Minion had been sure to suggest plenty of unfortunate scenarios.

Earlier that day he had held a meeting with the outlawed Triforian Guardians, a group of warriors selected from the five planets who desired a return to Triforia's past when the religion of the Old Gods had encouraged expansion and aggression against supposed threats. Dressed in black spandex bodysuits covered by a white and gold body shield, white gloves and white boots tipped with gold, they relied not only on the modern weapons of the Triforian military, but the traditional arts of magic.

After a successful meeting where Minion's presence had proved a decisive factor, it was agreed that the Triforian Guardians would support Terr's quest for power in return for control of the Triforian Senate. The Guardians sought control of the minor planets, but that was something they would negotiate later. With the help of the Guardians, some of who were cousins of the Lord of Triforia, the sealed chamber had been opened and those who had witnessed the event had been sacrificed to the Gods.

"I knew it," Terr breathed as he looked into the hidden depths of the chamber. "The legends were true, this forge is the means to create a weapon that will ensure my reign." Ignoring the fighting that followed, he slipped into the chamber and started the next part of his scheme.

Terr worked quickly because he doubted even the Triforian Guardians would understand his next act. Despite its intention to use murder to gain power the Guardians' leadership had some very strange ideas about justice.

The flames licked around the near molten metal, spitting hot ash and burning anything it came into contact with. The heavy hammer connected with the metal flattening the rectangular blob to a six-inch length so he could bend it back on itself to create a crisp fold. Striking it again the forger continued to build the perfect blade, ensuring a small hole was left near the tip of the blade for the special surprise its victim would soon come to appreciate.

Ash flew from the flames striking his hand as he continued to work. It did not matter because soon all the pain would be worthwhile. He continued hammering until the metal had been folded over a thousand times. Then he set about forging a blade worthy of a king.

Hours passed as he worked diligently, constantly checking to ensure the blade maintained its shape. Soon he was holding a four-foot piece of molten metal in his hand and testing the weight and balance of the blade. The burns on his hand would be meaningless if he succeeded. He had seen the future and it was filled with jewels from the Royal Treasury.

His fingers dug into the scar on his face; picking out the pieces of metal still embedded there from the last time he had confronted the King and Queen. The wound was caused when their favourite son had taken his role as heir and protector a bit too seriously.

Still, it was those fragments that would give the sword that special armour piercing quality. Placing the golden metal into the blade he smiled as it merged with the metal and his blood ensuring a poison fit for a royal family.

A thin layer of clay along the edge of the blade and a thicker layer along the back ensured a mixture of hard and soft metal as he plunged it deep into ice cold water. Taking a handle and cross bar he fitted the sword together, careful to ensure the little surprise embedded in the hilt was fully movable.

Like a dancer he moved around testing the blade to ensure it was fully balance. All the time he was careful not to cut himself knowing that the metal would be poisonous to his race especially when mixed with his blood.

With the blade complete he considered his targets. He wanted to kill them, but to do so would raise too many questions. Better to have them placed under house arrest for their own protection and then brutally murdered by terrorists.

A knock on his workshop door forced him to stop examining his sword and assume the role life had chosen for him.

"Yes?"

"Terr, I was told you wished to see me," Volar said. "I must admit I am perplexed as to why you are here. It is hardly the place for such a prominent member of our society, especially during this uprising."

"There's an uprising?" Terr asked in mock surprise. Volar obviously did not recall how he had gotten to this chamber. As a new advisor on Triforia, Volar had no idea of how Terr liked to operate.

"Yes Terr," Volar stated in a condescending tone. "There is indeed. I am surprised you didn't hear the commotion."

"Did you bring the body guards I requested?" Terr asked, changing the subject.

"Yes," came the reply. "Although I think it would be wiser for you to return to Triforia."

"Come inside Volar," Terr said. "And bring the guards with you."

Volar did as he was asked, his eyes widening when he realised exactly where he was. The guards stood at attention, their stun batons ready for action.

"You see Volar, I don't need to worry about being attacked by the Triforian Guardsmen," he watched as Volar's mouth opened at the mention of the group. "They are afterall fanatically loyal to the leader. A role I have come to appreciate."

Without warning Terr accessed the subspace pocket he had been given when he was a child. Bringing forth the sword he sliced into Volar's skin watching the pained look appear on the retainer's face. Volar howled in pain, holding his shoulder to stop the flow of blood.

"Does it hurt?" Terr asked venomously.

Volar's companions had drawn their sticks ready for a fight. Terr laughed, they were more servants than they were guards, and their weapons were simply for decoration. He parried their blows for a few minutes before increasing the force of his own blows to snap their batons. He stabbed all four of them and watched with pleasure as they collapsed as the poison took affect.

Moving with speed so they would not die until he was ready Terr labelled each of them. Volar was labelled as the king the others as Trey, his mother and two sisters. With a surgical strike he cut across four of the heads laughing as the blood ran over the floor. He then turned to the heir to the throne.

"I always knew it would be down to you and me Trey," he whispered before chopping off the other's head. "I can't wait to do this for real."

Taking a space-signalling device from subspace, he sent a message to his allies on board the defence stations positioned throughout the Triforia system. They in turn activated their weapons systems, guaranteeing an unpleasant time for any unwelcome visitors who chose to make an appearance, at least until the Guardsmen had assembled their vast fleet of stolen and salvaged warships.

Still swinging the sword he walked away leaving the dead bodies of his servants behind. Outside of the chamber he activated the forge's cleaning control. In a matter of minutes any organic material left in the chamber would be reduced to ashes.

"Long live the King!" he chuckled as he set course for his home world.

* * *

Despite official protests to the contrary, normally by one of the King's advisors, Triforia was not solely reliant on the Gold Ranger for its defence. The Gold Ranger was the most recognisable Ranger in the system, but there were others. At the time that the Golden Power Staff had been forged, four lesser powers had been crafted. The intention had been that the Gold Ranger would hold the power while the other powered beings would act as his ambassadors within the system.

Officially only the Gold Ranger was recognised as a true Power Ranger. The Silver, White, Black and Purple Rangers had been deputised to assist. Unlike the Gold Ranger powers, these avatars were not tied to the Royal Family. Lord Trey had agreed to aid Zordon of Eltare in time of need, but the four remaining Rangers were expected to remain in system at all times.

Despite his duty to the Earth, Trey had always been there when needed by Triforia. This time was the exception for even though he was on his way; Trey had no idea of what was to come. In his place the Rangers had assembled at the palace to protect their king. They had reluctantly left him when ordered to aid the ordinary people of the planet. So far they had managed without morphing. That was about to change.

"It's Morphin Time!" Zima, the acting leader called. "Black Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!" Knell called

"White Ranger Power!" Fulani cried.

"Silver Ranger Power!" Alexia called.

Unlike the Rangers of Earth, the power team of Triforia did not share an appearance. Each wore armour instead of spandex that had been designed at its creation and had never changed. Nor were their uniforms based around colour. That was the reason for the near monochrome appearance of their bodysuits.

"Black!"

"White!"

"Purple!"

"Silver!"

"Triforian Rangers!"

The attackers paused in their attack, awed by the sudden transformation. Despite having heard of Triforia's other Rangers few had ever seen them. Since the Triforian Guardians were mostly from outside the system, it was even less likely they had laid eyes on the new fighters.

When the Rangers charged, the effect was immediate. The Guardians turned tail in fear of what might happen. Those few who were too brave or too stupid to leave soon found that although their powers were not fully developed like those of the Gold Ranger, the Rangers could pack a mean punch. Soon, as the king's troops joined them, they were able to push the invaders back.

A sudden calm filled the scene and although they had no idea why, everyone stopped fighting for a moment. A stranger had appeared, his face hidden from their view. Raising his hands above his head, the stranger lifted his arms above his head and summoned his own armour. Shingle like armour covered his body, building a layer of slats each reinforcing the level below. Zima recognised the armour from somewhere, but couldn't place the familiar feeling.

"Now you peasants will meet your end," the creature breathed.

Zima got his first look at the creature's sword as it was driven into his side. Sparks flew as his suit compensated for the increased force of the blow. The suit's absorption system drained the force of the blow releasing it as heat and light. What Zima had believed to be the legendary Sword of Darkness was nothing of the sort. As the stranger's armour formed, so the sword changed shape into a blade covered in similar slats.

"Bring it on Rangers," the figure hissed.

Knell was first to attack, driving his powerful body into the stranger. His opponent did not move, simply faded so Knell's own strength carried him forward. When the Ranger was behind him, the stranger swung his sword. The gash although small in comparison to some blows was sufficient to send a powerful message to the other Rangers. Never had a weapon penetrated the armoured parts of their costumes. The remains of Knell's knee guard clattered on the ground.

Fulani and Alexia, normally the most reserved Rangers let out a battle cry and charged. With perfect timing they collided with the figure whilst he was off balance and succeeded in knocking him to the ground. Both stood with weapons drawn warning their opponent not to move. He did and they struck.

"Your weapons cannot hurt me," the black clad stranger told Zima as he hit him in the gut. "And your armour cannot protect you from me."

As the words escaped his lip the stranger exploded into action, slicing Fulani across the chest and watching in satisfaction as she dropped her weapons and demorphed. Blood poured from a small wound. The stranger's eyes glowed brighter as he drove the pummel of hilt of his sword into her head.

"Gleechark!" Alexia shrieked as she vaulted into her enemy determined to avenge Fulani. Her foot connected with the stranger's powerful body doing little damage. "Three phase!"

Alexia's body split into three separate forms, tripling her potential to hurt her enemy. To those who were caught unaware the assumption was that she had somehow mastered the ability to split and merge her soul at will. That was far from true. Two of the bodies were simply illusions intended to distract and confuse. The stranger was obviously one of those who knew the secret since he simply laughed as he ignored the duplicates and concentrated only on fighting the real opponent. He blocked her blows and then showed her how sharp his sword was when wielded by an expert.

"A funny thing about that spell, eliminate the real Alexia and it fades." To prove his point he drove the flat of his sword into the real Alexia's throat, knowing full well that his revelation was based on nothing but common sense. He watched as she dropped to her knees and the illusions followed suit. All three dropped to their knees and then two of them vanished.

Still laughing, the figure turned to face the remaining Rangers and attacked, aiming for the already injured Knell. The powerful Ranger fought valiantly

"Combine powers!" Zima shouted to Knell. It was said too late as the stranger's next blow struck the other Ranger's head.

The two faced off, warrior to warrior. They exploded into combat both stretching themselves to the limit, but ultimately Zima was hit across the leg. A second blow landed into his ribs. Zima gasped and dropped his sword. He attempted to fight unarmed but was clearly outmatched. A second blow to the ribs punctured his lung.

As unconsciousness threatened to overtake him, Zima knew he had no chance. He looked up at the masked face and noted the eyes glowing brighter than ever. No, they weren't eyes, they were part of the visor intended to look like eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am your king and I am the one that is going to see you executed for treason!"

Zima searched desperately for a way to escape. Making the flattest fist he could imagine he jabbed directly for the creature's throat. He felt what should have been the windpipe give way under the pressure he applied. With a feral growl the stranger tore his mask away revealing his face. Zima's eyes went wide as he recognised his attacker.

"It cannot be you," he protested. "They forgave you; Trey spared your life!"

"Yes he did," Terr answered. "And soon I'll make him regret that choice."

"Trey will throw you through the dimensional doorway when he finds out."

The figure grinned, "Your precious Lord Trey is on Earth and has no idea what is happening. By the time he does I will have solidified my hold on the star system."

"You're part of the Triforian Guardians aren't you?" Zima asked trying to find his sword. He had finally recognised the armour.

The figure laughed, a cold laugh without any positive emotion. "I like the name Terr better," he said. "And soon I will be king." He walked behind the last Ranger and ignoring Zima's power, kicked him in the back of the head.

* * *

"Hurry Your Majesty, we must get to the shelter," Terr said his voice filled with concern a few minutes later.

Overhead he could see the battle between the Triforian Guardians and the Royal Guard. The Guardians were winning.

"Father, we must help our people," Trianna protested.

As the oldest sister she had chosen to pursue magic as her future art form. Already she was an accomplished psychic, able to link different parts of the kingdom together with her insight.

"There is no time," Terr replied. He was desperate to get this family to the safety of the Royal Bunker.

Triforia's defence forces had scrambled and were picking off the attackers who attempted to land on the planet. The battle overhead sounded like the attackers were winning.

"Look!" Queen Trania shouted. In the distance they could see the spot where the Rangers had been slaughtered. The remains had been placed on pikes to inspire fear. "We must aid them."

"No Ma'am," Terr said quickly. "Tradition demands that the King and Queen are guarded from harm and not allowed to fight in Triforia's troubles."

"A stupid rule," the King muttered but he knew Terr was correct. He was bound by traditions set down in the history of their world. "I must remember to set some new traditions."

"Even so," Terr smiled. "For the time being you have no choice but to obey your defender. Or shall I call back our forces to make you obey. You could almost say that until I deem the emergency over, I am king."

The King knew Terr had won this round. He had taken a rule created to prevent the loss of a sovereign and used it to gain control of Triforia.

"Cheer up," Terr smiled. "It'll be all over very soon."

Something about Terr's tone concerned the King, but he let it go. Soon they were in the shelter designed to act as war room in times of trouble. As the door slammed shut Trania noticed the sword in Terr's hand.

"Terr, you know you are not allowed to carry a sword," she said. The ruling had followed a drunken brawl in which Terr had killed a man. As punishment her son Trey had proclaimed that Terr could never again carry a sword.

"Oh but I am," Terr replied. "The King is allowed to do anything and I am the King!"

As the words escaped his lips, Terr drove his sword into the King's heart. Trinus's eyes opened wide but no sound escaped his equally wide lips. The King dropped to the floor as Terr advanced on the now hysterical Queen.

"If you three ladies would care to stand still I can make this very painless for you. The King has been brutally attacked and you three are the witnesses. As such you are under arrest and will be secured as prisoners until such time as the traitor is caught and you can testify against him."

Trianna blasted him with her magical powers, tapping the mystical energies around her and directing them at her father's killer.

"Please!" Terr droned with a voice that sounded both bored and annoyed. "Don't do that."

Trianna hit him again, but he simply laughed and slapped her across the face, levelling the sword to her neck.

"Try that again and there will be more than one death today," he warned.

Moments later the door burst open and she was relieved that help had arrived.

"Terr!" Tristan growled.

Tristan was Trey's oldest cousin and was next in line to the throne if should anything happen to his cousins. Behind him stood six of the king's finest guards.

"You disappoint me Cousin," Terr hissed. "I thought you would have killed them by now."

"Always the picky one aren't you Terr?" Tristan asked. While Tristan could count Trey on one side of his family, he was related to Terr through his mother.

He spun on his heel and blasted the guards. They collapsed to the ground as the queen and her daughters realised that he had joined the conspiracy.

"You can't kill them," Tristan said.

"And why not?" Terr asked.

"Because we need them to renounce power once Trey is convicted!" Tristan answered, laughing at the look on the queen's face. She looked devastated.

"Tell our forces to secure the other planets," Terr ordered. "Triforia is mine." He looked down at the fallen king. "And call a doctor. It would be better if he died i someone else's care."

* * *

Despite the state of almost martial law and the ban on interplanetary communications and travel, things remained calm of Triforia. Terr had followed Tristan's advice and retained the king's advisors as a symbol of the continuity of state. Of course they had no power and were forced to work at gunpoint, but they were still there. It was now a week since Terr had swept to power and life was returning to normal. The royal guard had been disbanded and replaced by the Triforian Guardians.

Prince Terr's coronation was an event long to be remembered in Triforian history. The nobles had looked for any loophole to remove him from power, but found none. Ferin had even supported the application stating that tradition came first. In truth they realised that any attempt to remove him from power would result in blood shed. They could always proclaim the coronation illegal at a later date.

A long possession had taken place from the palace to the Temple of the Golden Goddess to ask for her blessing. The High Priest had conducted the ceremony flawlessly to the point that several people were waiting for. For Terr it would act to ensure his future commands would not be rejected. For the High Council it was their last chance of salvation.

"Does any person here know of a reason why Prince Terr should not be declared our King and keeper of the Golden Power Staff?"

There was no reply. The positioning of Triforian Guardsmen throughout the crowd had ensured the process was not disrupted.

"Then by the power of the Golden Lady, I pronounce thee King of Triforia," the priest said. "All hail Terr."

"Hold!" one of the courtiers, cried. "Terr cannot be king."

"Explain," Terr said in a menacing tone.

"Terr is a former criminal guilty of treason. Only if he is forgiven by a former monarch or the Lord of Triforia can he be allowed to hold an office of power." The courtier deliberately addressed his comments to the crowd and not Terr. "Since the other members of the Royal Family are under arrest, only Lord Trey himself can appoint Terr as King of Triforia."

At Terr's gesture the man was dragged away for what he told the crowd was further research. Inside though he knew he needed Trey on Triforia. He had heard the heir was on the way, but had no idea where he was.

"Terr! Terr!" was the shout from the crowd.

"Thank you, my people," Terr said. "This matter will be resolved. If Trey is alive, we will find him and bring him here to rule. If he declines, we will convince him to name me as the king. We will grow stronger though, this I promise you."

With that he turned and walked away with Tristan at his side. "Contact Huntrax for me Tristan," he said firmly when he was certain nobody would hear. He would be king, even if he had to destroy the planet to do so.

Terr knew the situation on Triforia would destabilise quickly if Trey was arrested, but he needed to do so to secure his position as king. The Triforian Guardians' elite squadron had crushed the pockets of resistance that had refused to accept Terr's coronation, quickly, but the uncertainty recent event had caused threatened to ignite overt resistance. The entire system had been brought to its knees in honour of Terr and his new heir Tristan only to witness their new master's embarrassment when a loudmouthed courtier had dared to interfere.

In the past, the Triforia Star System had been annexed to a great empire, which later fell when its ruler vanished. Released from tyranny, the Triforian Guardians had tried to seize the reigns of the old power and had steadily conquered world after world. They had even succeeded in taking new worlds that were outside the old empire. In the end though a powerful Galactic Council overthrew them.

Millions of years later, the reputation remained. The creation of the Golden Power Staff and subsequently the Power Rangers had eased the fears of many, but not all. And the descendants of the Triforian Guardians remained as strong as ever behind the scenes.

Even on Triforia itself there were still scars from the past; not all the symbols of the Triforian Guardians were gone. The forge would enable him to make those symbols important again. And the key was the Golden Power Staff and control of Pyramidas. Together with the technology the forge could produce he envisioned a weapon capable of concentrating the power of Triforia's three suns and using them to crush armies. The plan relied upon Pyramidas. When used correctly it commanded a weapon capable of ensuring the Triforian Guardians' continued reign.

Sadly over time and without a suitable leader, the Guardians had lost their knowledge of war. There mighty implements of fear and destruction had been lost, their symbols of oppression transformed into symbols of hope and righteousness.

But Triforia's rulers had failed to completely neutralise the threat of the Triforian Guardians. They assumed that the removal of the Golden Power Staff would be enough. All had forgotten their influence on Triforia, at least outwardly. But Terr had learnt the legends and had felt the pull just as others had before him. He studied everything about the mysterious leader, but couldn't even find his name. However, he had learnt of the enchantments placed on the Golden Power Staff and the monstrous machine named Pyramidas. He had known at that time that he was destined to follow his ancestors' path.

Taking the Golden Power Staff had always been the obstacle, killing the king had been easy in comparison. To start with he had simply dispatched the Varox to kill Trey. But Trey was too stubborn to die and the new friends he made on Earth had protected him and his power. With that failure Terr had tried a different approach. Instead of attacking Trey directly, he had set about reforming the Triforian Guardians. With them serving as a private army, Terr had been able to conquer the entire system, but Trey still eluded him. Now after Minion had told him Trey was en route, he knew the day of reckoning had arrived.

* * *

Deep Space

Trey sat in the control deck of Pyramidas feeling alone despite his passengers. He knew it was partially guilt at leaving the Rangers of Earth own their own after so recently regaining his powers; Zordon had suggested it was due to Trey's need to be the Gold Ranger once more. Either way it meant that with his powers restored Trey was required to return to Triforia in the hope that the priests of the old religions could aid him in attaining unity. Besides, he needed his father's approval before continuing on his mission.

Behind him he could sense Travis and Trent deep in conversation as they exchanged view on different matters. One spoke emphatically, pouring his emotion into the debate while the other maintained a steady composure, never allowing himself to be baited by his ally's outbursts. Despite the fact they had once been a single entity, it was growing more evident that they had lost more than physical unity in recent weeks. The differences between Travis, Trent and Trey had become more apparent as they had been forced to spend time together.

If he was truly honest with himself, Trey knew that he was happy to be going home. It had been a long time since he had left to carry out his mission as the Gold Ranger. Travel between Triforia and Earth was slow and in Pyramidas, a machine built more for power than its hyper space capabilities, it took that much longer. He was returning home to take his place as leader of his people. His mother had done an excellent job of running Triforia in his absence and his father was perfect as a symbolic king, but Trey knew he should get back to where he belonged.

He had kept in touch with Ferin and Zared his two most trusted advisors and thus been able to make important decisions away from the High Council. He sighed as he realised that those few times had been the rare occasions where he could make a decision without his advisors using the planet's traditions to overall his authority. If galactic decisions were difficult then Triforian leadership was almost impossible.

It felt strange being in space again after spending so long on Earth. Earth was a planet considered a backwater by the Galactic Council, but the diversity and ability to grow of its people had amazed Trey. True some of their attitudes could be considered barbaric, but compared to some worlds where extreme sexual and skin colour prejudice was the norm, Earth was an example to be followed rather than ignored.

The computer next to Trey's chair beeped alerting him he had a message. Pushing the answer button he was surprised to find the message was in hologram format. Before him appeared Ferin, a rather short man with a long white beard that he thought looked distinguished.

"Lord Trey,

I am sorry to disturb you during your travels, but I am the bearer of grim news. Zared was found murdered in his chambers this morning and we as yet unable to find the culprit. The reason I call is to advise that follow a vote the Council has used its powers as is our tradition..."

There was that word again: tradition. In truth Trey knew the Council invented traditional powers as they went along and hoped Trey would not notice. It was getting so the role of Lord was no longer important to the decision making process. Trey knew if the Council had its way he would simply appear once a year to make a speech on holocam for the people to behave and pay their taxes.

"... to elect a new and worthy member to the High Council. Volar is anxious to work with you to ensure the continued success of our world."

Ferin's face grew more serious as his rehearsed speech ended and he was able to speak his true mind.

"I know this doesn't please you Trey, but the High Council was going to do this whether or not they had your agreement. Volar is a good man and a close ally. I think you will be amazed at the support he will be able to raise for your ideas.

On a side note I must tell you that Terr has returned to the Capital. So far he is obeying the rules of his pardon and we are keeping your family under guard.

Have a good trip Trey, I look forward to your return."

Trey looked at the spot where the hologram had been. Terr was back in the Capital, something he had hoped would never happen. It seemed an eternity ago that Terr had been sentenced and forced to leave the Triforian system only to be dragged back again when his behaviour had proven embarrassing. He had fought Trey's father and almost succeeded in killing him. As a result the King was never the same mentally and Trey had been forced to take over his activities.

A battle had raged between Trey and Terr ending when Trey had used his Golden Power Staff. Even as he stood over his younger opponent Trey knew he could not kill him. He had offered Terr a chance to save himself and his opponent had agreed.

As a result Terr was bound to the Triforia system, a prisoner in his own system and bound to follow the decisions of the High Council in all matters. Trey, knowing the council, had assumed that in itself was sufficient punishment.

"Volar!" Travis snorted. "How anyone could refer to him as a valued ally is beyond me."

"He is a good man even if he is a little set in his ways," Trent answered.

Trey and Travis turned to look at their companion who was doing his level best not to burst out laughing.

Sitting back Trey decided to enjoy his peace while it was still there. When he reached Triforia, he expected to be mobbed by advisors. Had he known that his return would set in motion a chain of events leading to the loss of many of the things he held dear, maybe he would have changed his mind.

* * *

Later

"We cannot outrun them," Travis called from the gun well where he was proving himself an ace shot against their pursuers. "We must stand and fight."

When they had emerged just outside of the Triforian system, their ship had been attack by unknown forces. Trey had tried to move them to safety, but Pyramidas's size also counted against it where speed was a requirement. Fortunately Pyramidas came prepared for such contingencies.

"He is correct," Trent confirmed from his position at the top of Pyramidas. "We can use the Vipers."

Vipers were the name given to a form of outdated one-man fighter craft with three wings at the rear. By bouncing a beam of energy off the tip of each wing, they formed an equilateral triangle, which connected to the nose cone gave each fighter a powerful weapon. Normally they would remain in their hangar deep inside Pyramidas, but today they were needed.

"Viper One and Two are online," Trey called over his shoulder. "Do not forget your armour."

Triforian Battle Armour came complete with a magnetic containment field capable of sustaining a pilot for a short time in the vacuum of space.

Trent and Travis nodded and disappeared to launch their ships.

* * *

The shields buckled and failed as the continuous blast took its toll. Trey banked his ship hard to the left in the hopes that it would place another side of the mighty pyramid in his enemies' way. But the damage was done. Pyramidas lurched to the side as its hull buckled. Caught in the gravity of a planet the ship entered the atmosphere and appeared to explode.

* * *

"Trey!" Travis and Trent called.

They swung their ships in perfect unison and tore into their opponents. They succeeded in tearing first Huntrax's fleet and then her craft to pieces before splitting up. Trent would go on to Triforia and explain the situation. For those who were expecting him he would play the role of Trey of Triforia, while Travis searched the planet below in the vain hope that Pyramidas and its occupant survived.

* * *

Triforia

Trent gently guided his Viper onto the landing pad, surprised that his father had allowed such a large contingent of guards to welcome him. He reversed thrust to slow his descent, took his time opening the cockpit and finally clambered out. He was shocked when the guards did not snap to attention until he saw Terr approach. The look on his face turned Trent's stomach. ~Oh Terr, what have you done?~

"Trey," Terr acknowledged. "I hope the second part of your journey was uneventful."

"It was," Trent replied. "Where is my father?"

"Dead," Terr told him. "The Queen and your sisters have been placed in secure custody."

"Who did this?" Trent asked.

Terr leant close and embraced him in a firm bear hug. As he did so Trey could hear the guards move and when Terr released him he found all guns were trained on him.

"I am sorry," Terr said. "I would have had you killed as well, but you have something I need. When you hand over the Golden Power Staff, I will be more than happy to correct that oversight."

"Why?" Trent asked.

"Because I could," Terr whispered as he walked away. "Lord Trey is under arrest. If he attempts to morph, kill him and exterminate three cities. If he complies, destroy two of the smaller settlements on his orders. Your people will learn to hate you Trey, but their fate is still in your hands."

With that Terr turned to make his report and Trey was led away.

* * *

Compared to Aquitar, the events on Triforia had gone as planned. Terr's greed had made him a valuable ally for a short time. The usurper would hold Trey indefinitely and Trey's refusal to hand over the Golden Power Staff would prevent Terr from doing more than intimidating a few natives.

He briefly considered advising Terr that he had the wrong Lord, but decided it would be more fun to watch the fireworks when the real Trey arrived. In the meantime he had other matters to attend to. With two major allies removed, it was time to introduce himself to the Rangers.

And far away in a galaxy separated from the Machine Empire by a dimensional membrane, a young boy allowed an angry cry to escape his lips, shaking the hidden galaxy and destroying the service droids that had been nearby. Minion was proving to be unreliable. It was fortunate that his plans did not depend solely upon the disloyal construct.

**End **


	4. Strike from the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Strike from the Darkness

Angel Grove

The plane soared high above the skies of Angel Grove. On the ground below, citizens of the city awaited the arrival of the Angel Grove High School skydiving team. The benefit Jump-a-Thon was being held to preserve the Angel Grove Observatory. It appeared to be a success, as the whole city had turned out for the event.

Inside the plane, Rocky DeSantos whooped loudly. "I can't wait!" he yelled. "This is going to be awesome."

"Easy, Rocky! We know," agreed Katherine Hilliard, Kat to her friends. "It's definitely a new experience."

Tanya Sloan looked out the window. "Forty-five seconds till the drop zone. Are you guys ready?"

The others nodded and continued to make their final checks. For some this type of thing would have been too daunting, but compared to some of the things these youths had done it was easy. They were the Zeo Rangers: sworn defenders of the planet Earth and currently enjoying themselves, taking advantage of the warm weather.

Tanya gestured toward the door of the plane. "Well, lead on, flyboys!" she said to her male teammates.

Rocky shot her a mock glare and pulled open the door. He looked out into the open air and began to feel his resolution shrinking. "Ladies first," he smiled.

"Why thank you, kind sir," Tanya replied. Then as she jumped through the open door she yelled: "Let's do it!" she yelled, jumping out of the plane.

"On your tail!" Adam Park jumped out the door.

"Banzai!" Rocky cried as he jumped out.

"Come on, Tommy," Katherine said. She flashed him a quick thumbs-up. "See you down there!" She dived out of the plane as if she were at a swimming competition.

Tommy looked down at his friends and for a moment felt at home. Here in the air he could imagine himself as protector of the whole city and in a way, he was. In his career as a Ranger Tommy had been fortunate to pilot the Falcon Zord, Phoenix Zord and the Red Super Zeo Zord, all of which came with excellent flight capability.

~Time to show them my stuff,~ he thought as he grabbed his board. Then he paused, frowning. It seemed as though he had played this role before, he just couldn't remember where. He shrugged and threw himself out the door. He'd worry about it later.

Tommy and the others were spinning and flipping before manoeuvring into their positions, forming a circle. They had been practicing since they had learnt about the jump, substituting their Karate classes in order to practice. But despite all the practices, this was the first time they had had a chance to try it for real. They held together long enough to move into position and listened to Adam as he counted down to their next move.

"Break!" ordered Tommy.

The five teens released hands as they broke through the clouds. They pulled their ripcords, and five parachutes burst into the sky, blue, red, green, pink and yellow against the blue sky. They circled in the air a few times and played a quick game of follow-the-leader before they were back on their mark. Then they aimed for the red target bull's-eye below, and heard the announcer's voice as they came lower.

"Here comes our first arrival: Rocky DeSantos from Angel Grove High. Will he make it?"

Rocky made a few brief adjustments to his course and touched down perfectly. "Woohoo!" he exclaimed. The high he felt wasn't quite the same as morphing, but it had his adrenaline pumping.

"Adam Park, coming in now." Adam managed to hook one foot inside the target as he landed. "Another perfect landing! They're two for two! Can they make it three for three?"

Katherine waited for Adam to land before altering her approach. As the announcer spoke she raised her legs, "Here's Katherine Hilliard," and dropped onto the center. "Yes they can, a third perfect landing from the Angel Grove High team! Nice landing!"

"Thanks," Kat giggled.

"Tanya Sloan is next. They're four for four now!"

Tanya cleared out of the way quickly to give Tommy room. She exchanged high fives with Adam and Rocky as the red clad parachutist approached.

"They're really hot today!" the announcer said.

"Yeah!" Tanya agreed.

"Now, it's Tommy Oliver coming in. Hmm, it looks a bit wide but..." Tommy deliberately set down early and relied on momentum to carry him and his board over the line. As he did so the announcer said: "He nails it! Incredible, they are five for five! Amazing, the Angel Grove Observatory will be grateful to its skilled high-schoolers today."

"Way to go, team!" Rocky exclaimed as the five jumpers celebrated.

"Hey guys," Richie said as he approached. "Great work."

The original plan had been for several of the Rangers' friends to join them in the air, but the Rangers had been so busy with other concerns they had been unable to make the arrangements. Still, Richie's absence from the jump didn't stop him and some of Angel Grove's younger students from giving their friends a warm reception when they landed.

"Yeah, you guys were fantastic," a young girl named Tasha giggled, hugging Tanya and Adam.

"You can join us next time," Kat whispered as if reading her mind and making the young girl smile excitedly.

After accepting congratulations from a number of Angel Grove's citizens, as well as the Jump-a-Thon's coordinator, Rocky, Katherine, Adam, Tanya and Tommy decided to call it a day.

"Hey, Ernie's is serving a free dessert with lunch," Adam said, deciding to change the subject.

"LET'S GO!" Shouted Rocky as he took off.

The others laughed and then followed in hot pursuit. They strapped on kneepads and helmets, and put on their roller blades.

Together, they raced through the streets of Angel Grove, taking every possible detour they could to prolong the ride and the fun. They were still pumped up from their victory and the thrill of skydiving, and executed all the stunts they could think of - within reason, of course. Their enjoyment showed when Adam gained momentum and somersaulted through the air. The others jumped high into the air as well, with Rocky managing a back-somersault and a full layout before landing. He would later explain that it was an accident. Out of consideration for others they chose to take the stairs; their trip suddenly turned rough as their blades lacked shock absorbers.

"Shortcut!" Tommy yelled, jumping a concrete ledge into a construction site. The others followed him, each one landing squarely on his or her feet. They rode up out of the construction site and back onto the street, across from Ernie's Juice Bar

Rocky tore through the doorway, eager to find food. Some had referred to him as the human stomach, but that was wrong and a great injustice. True Rocky could clear a refrigerator in less than half an hour, but so could most teens if given the right food and an opportunity. The life of a Power Ranger used up a lot of energy in addition to the increased food demand of the average teen.

"Settle down Rocky. Just because it's a huge party, doesn't mean you have to scream." Tanya admonished.

Tommy smiled. Rocky was the spirit of the team. Some thought him an idiot - usually those who didn't just assume he was simply a walking stomach - but those who knew him understood it was just the way he was. Rocky was an innocent, a young man who enjoyed the love of life that only children can appreciate. He was also very capable, as anyone who had underestimated him in the past could testify.

When they sat at a table, Ernie soon came over and took their order.

"Six hamburgers and ten orders of fries please." Adam said.

Tanya looked at Adam, puzzled, "Ten orders of fries?"

Jason and Tommy chuckled. Rocky tried to look innocent but couldn't stop laughing. When he saw Tanya's face, he sobered long enough for the three men to say in unison: "I'm hungry."

Everyone laughed at that.

* * *

"Alpha, have you found anything yet?" Zordon asked.

"Negative Zordon," Alpha replied. "I can find no trace of Rita, Zedd, their servants or the Machine Empire."

"Have you detected any abnormal readings from the Moon?" Zordon asked after a moment's thought.

"No," Alpha answered after a brief check.

Zordon frowned although it was difficult to notice given the severe distortion created by his plasma tube. The Power Chamber's sensors were usually very accurate yet in the last few days they had picked up several unexplained anomalies. Although he was prepared to explain it away as the result of planetary movements, it seemed unnerving that such anomalies would arise at a time when he had lost contact with both Aquitar and Triforia.

Things had been too quiet for too long. When the Machine Empire had been vanquished, somebody should have moved in to replace them, but for some reason they had held off.

"Somebody is using magic Zordon," Alpha said as the computer beeped. "But they are only using it for teleportation."

That was unusual. He would have expected a would-be conqueror to attack immediately. He wondered if it were simply Rita and Zedd planning something. He gave that possibility a few seconds thought and then dismissed it. Zedd had been more powerful than ever when he had left with Rita, but his energy couldn't come close to the primal force the computer had just detected.

It was however, the silence of Aquitar and the disturbing rumours he had heard about Triforia that worried Zordon the most. Some rumours claimed Trey was dead, others that he had been arrested. No word had been given about either Trent or Travis.

Without the Aquitian Rangers or Triforia to provide backup, the Zeo Rangers were truly alone.

Of course they had Auric should the need arise and Jason could provide limited help. Zordon knew from experience there was little he could do except wait and hope the help they had would be enough.

* * *

It was morning by the time Alpha and Zordon had finished their very extensive sensor sweep of the Moon, Earth and other planets in the Sol system. What they had detected had left them confused, but a little optimistic: not only had Rita and Zedd vanished, the regular scout ships that had been entering the solar system since Rita's release had ceased. From the limited access he had to the galactic grapevine, Zedd and Rita had been spotted near the Dark Galaxy, Zedd's former domain. Zordon wondered what problem had arisen for Zedd to return there. Alpha seemed to sense Zordon's high spirits because the little robot was humming as he puttered around the various consoles.

The sensor net surrounding the Earth was extremely complicated and required a lot of time to examine. As a result, the scans of Angel Grove and the mountains where the Power Chamber was hidden, were always among the last reports Alpha processed.

Alpha pushed the buttons on the console, which printed the last of the reports. He was eager not to spoil Zordon's mood. "There were unusual readings from Angel Grove Park, which consumed more time than the computer estimated."

Zordon frowned. Something was not right, there been no battles in the park recently. There was nothing there that should have required further investigation. But he could sense a variation in the energy patterns around the park. He was starting to believe that the distortion was a mirror of the disturbance he had felt in the Morphin Grid. It was a warning that something was coming and he needed to be ready. That he was unable to figure out the threat was a sign of how serious things had become.

"Alpha, relay the data to my dimension," Zordon instructed.

"Yes Zordon," Alpha replied.

As the data was fed from the computer Zordon had to reread it several times. There was a definite lack of answers presented in the report, but plenty of energy readings.

Zordon felt very vulnerable. He had known about Rita and Zedd before they had shown up; he had always suspected that Master Vile would appear to find his daughter or to seek the Zeo Crystal. And as for Mondo, Earth was a planet rich in resources and minerals the Machine Empire could use. Earth had been lucky that the Zeo Crystal had been discovered before Mondo arrived or the planet would have been reduced to a mere strip mine.

But this was something different, a power Zordon didn't understand. And he sensed that he was being distracted from seeing an even greater threat beyond it. Not knowing was the worst thing about the situation and something Zordon vowed to change shortly.

"Alpha, begin a new search pattern," he ordered before returning his attention to the report.

* * *

He examined his black clothing carefully, noting the way the recently forged coin on his chest plate reflected only a small amount of light. It was a coin manufactured on Triforia, not a true Power Coin. He was certain it would perform its function. His plans had progressed well so far, but he could not pick off all his targets at once or the Rangers would guess his strategy and take steps to protect their remaining allies; he had yet to turn his attention to the former Rangers of Earth or the other heroes of Earth, such as the Masked Rider.

It was important for Minion to defeat the Rangers, to prove himself superior to those that had defeated him twice and more intelligent than the mere human he was based upon. Elaborate and carefully considered plans were his strength and he was already instigating a plan that would guarantee the conquest of Earth and the total humiliation of the Power Rangers that protected it.

He had noted carefully the victories of other villains. Lord Zedd's first assault had been swift and brutal, taking their arsenal before the Rangers could adjust. But Zedd failed to push his advantage. He had relied on the stolen Zords to defeat the Rangers instead of going after them personally and therefore allowed the Rangers to retrieve their equipment and enhance their weapons.

When Rito had first attacked, he had taken advantage of a weakness within the power of Thunder. The Zords were powerful but lacked endurance. When faced with foes that could not be dispatched swiftly, the overload had decimated the Zords and the Command Center. The Rangers had been vulnerable, but Rita and Zedd had failed to act.

The capture of the Pink Power Coin and Falcon Zord had put the Rangers on the defensive. The capture of Ninjor should have crushed their spirits. But instead of going for the kill Zedd had chosen to humiliate the teenagers and as a result lost the Shogun Zords. Improper storage of Ninjor and reliance on Rito led to the release of a valuable ally, and Rita's failure to destroy Kat when she practically surrendered had cost them the Zeo Crystal and Falcon Zord.

Master Vile's victory had been swift, but was marred by an inability to follow up. If the Rangers had been destroyed while they were reduced to children, Earth would have fallen. Still, the plan had been partially successful: the Ninja and Shogun Zords had been removed, Ninjor had been removed from the picture and the Power Coins had been destroyed. The plan had also allowed Rito and Goldar to destroy the Command Center. It was a shame Zordon had planned for such an event, and that Rito and Goldar had dropped the Zeo Crystal while escaping.

Mondo's victories had been very unspectacular. For the most part the Machine Empire relied on the idea that Ranger teams were unable to fight them and brute force to destroy their enemies. Cogs were expendable and didn't require rest. But the Rangers had been able to fight and that had limited Mondo's success.

The closest the Machine Empire came to success was Gasket's plan to use Tommy as a weapon. It had been a sound if overused plan that was doomed to failure. But for a time the Rangers had been vulnerable.

In those cases the Ranger had been beaten and victory was obtainable. The plans were sound and for the most part well-executed. It was the inability to press the advantage that allowed the Rangers to recover. He would not give them such chances. His attacks would be targeted, continuous and devastating. But, he would not make the same mistake as the other. The most important factor of his plan was the need to follow through. He would grind them into the ground, crush them under foot and stomp on anything that remained until he was certain they were gone.

First though he needed to introduce himself, it was only polite to do so. And in order to introduce himself he needed to get the Rangers' attention. And that just needed him to send down some foot soldiers and attack anything that moved. So that was the first hurdle: despite Finster's assurances and best efforts, he lacked foot soldiers, and monsters, and when he considered it, secret weapons. He chose to deal with the foot-soldier problem albeit temporarily, first.

Using the Sword of Darkness he energised some of the clay in the corner of the workshop, using the power of the Morphin Grid to shape it as he needed. They would be the first to fight and he was certain the Rangers would eventually defeat them. It wouldn't matter though since it was a part of his plan.

His new soldiers looked the part. They were hideously ugly with large ears, wrinkled skin and sharp teeth sticking out of their lower lips; they were vicious with and insatiable thirst for combat; and they were stupid; they lacked the intelligence to feel fear. They lacked even the most basic of instincts and their desires were controlled by spells. They retained the darker grey of Rita's Putty Patrol. In their hands they carried primitive yet deadly hand made knives.

He dismissed them to Angel Grove with a small nod before turning his attention to other matters. He had a message that he wanted to send the Rangers, but he needed to deliver it in just the right way. If not presented correctly, they would start to think they had a chance.

* * *

"Alpha, summon the Rangers," Zordon ordered as the alarm sounded.

The Viewing Globe showed strange creatures attacking the citizens of Angel Grove in the area of the park where the explosion had occurred. The police had sealed the blackened terrain until they could find out what had happened and if there was any further risk. Detective Park, head of the Angel Grove Homicide Department and Adam's father had been given the assignment of keeping the public away. For some reason he assumed gas leaks had been added to the situations the Homicide Division dealt with.

Not that Angel Grove had many homicides. In fact violent crimes were abnormally low compared to the national average. So officers in the homicide division were required to deal with the public during monster attacks. The so-called Monster Squad of Angel Grove. It was a task Trevor could live without. He hated the Power Rangers because of the disruption they caused and had little time for the reporters for whom the colour clad show offs posed.

He also had little patience for monsters and after shouting a warning had ordered his officers to open fire. The foot soldiers had not noticed the shots and continued to attack anyone foolish enough to go near them. They were heading towards the Youth Center where they could find more victims.

"Zordon, what's wrong?" Tommy asked as the Zeo Rangers and Jason appeared.

"We've got trouble in the park!" Adam said. While Tommy had asked, he had been watching the Viewing Globe. He moved to the computer and tried to find out what they were looking at. "Looks like... someone forgot how to make Putties!"

As he brought the image up on the screen, none of them could stop a sudden shudder at the hideous looking things. From what the Rangers could see, the faces were all individual, some were uglier than others.

"Dad," Adam gasped as he saw his father trying to fight. The things had finally realised he was attacking them and had responded. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"We'll help him" Tanya whispered reassuringly, and Adam squeezed her shoulder as thanks.

Tommy shook his head. "She's right man, he'll be fine. We'll take care of this."

"Call me if you need me," Jason said, reluctant to let his friends go off unaided.

"Sure Bro," Tommy smiled back.

"Rangers, you will need to be extremely careful," Zordon warned. "These creatures are displaying abnormal energy readings."

Everyone nodded, and Tommy glanced at his friends. For a moment, he wondered whether he should ask Jason for help, but then realised they had more to gain by keeping Jason in the background. If he were hurt or killed, Tommy would never forgive himself. He put the thought out of his head. It was time to go to work.

"It's Morphing Time!" Apart from those words to reveal the Zeonisers there was no need to say anymore. The Zeo Crystal used magic, but within its structure the energy was bound to the laws of science. Calling their power helped to focus their minds, it was not a necessity; at that moment the Rangers' minds were firmly set on stopping whatever those creatures were.

In a rush of colour and energy, the six Rangers arrived in the park. The people were shrieking and running around in a blind panic. The creatures attacked just about anything but did not spend very long harassing each of their victims. Fortunately that meant that nobody had been killed so far although there were obviously some broken bones.

The Rangers had barely landed before they were attacked. The creatures had obviously been instructed to attack the Rangers immediately and to press the attack so as to not allow them time to recover. Unfortunately the creatures followed their instructions to the letter and the Rangers were forced to fall back. It was two creatures for each Ranger and after a few blows it became obvious that in spite of their looks, the brutes could fight.

"Divide and conquer," Tommy instructed. It was an old and tested strategy that would probably fail, but it would give the Rangers room to fight. "Siek-yah!"

The others did as Tommy suggested. Kat and Rocky headed off in one direction, drawing their fair share of creatures away while Tanya and Adam double-teamed another group. By switching techniques they were enjoying limited success. That left Tommy to dive into the remainder. He caught one just as it was turning its attention towards some children. A firm punch caught its attention.

The creature seemed to sort of whirl around, turning its head to look at him without a single trace of an expression on its face. Tommy didn't stop his assault though, he had to get the creature away from those kids! Punches and kicks flowed seamlessly from his gloved fists to the monster, and he was obviously making some sort of impression on it, it hadn't looked back at the children once since he'd kicked it the first time.

He got a rather nasty surprise, however, when the thing whipped around faster than he'd ever seen anything move and swiped at him with a knife. He was still shocked when the other one he hadn't been watching managed to strike him from behind. For such ugly things they were strong and their blows were having an effect. Then one of them grabbed his helmet and squeezed. The pain was so intense he couldn't concentrate enough to move. The aura surrounding his suit acted to relieve some pressure to prevent severe damage, but it didn't stop all of it.

While the first one was busy squeezing, the other was taking advantage of the open target on his chest. It drew its knife and lunged.

In another part of the park, Tanya and Adam were fighting off four of the creatures, which had attacked them head on. They didn't have Tommy's problem of being caught, and since there were two of them, they could cover each other's back. If Adam looked like he was in trouble Tanya could help him and vice versa.

"These things are tough!" Tanya groaned, barely managing to wiggle out of the way in time as one tried to bite her. There was little doubt that those ugly teeth could breach her suit. "I think it's time for the big guns, Adam!"

The Green Ranger nodded, backing off a little. "Zeo IV Power Punch!" he cried out, channelling the Zeo energy from his Zord through his body and then into a series of lightning fast punches that hit practically every area of the creatures' bodies in under a minute.

"Zeo II Power Kick!" Tanya echoed the special command, backing off for a moment, then delivering what she'd often termed "the snap kick from hell' to the four stunned opponents. The two of them landed back on their feet a few feet away, side by side and looking to see what effect their special moves had had on the creatures.

For a moment, it didn't seem anything. Then, three turned to dust before their eyes. The fourth remained standing for a moment and then its eyes rolled back and it collapsed. Tanya and Adam both grinned, then looked back at the rest of the park. Tommy was the only one who seemed to need any help, the others were handling themselves just fine.

Or so it looked to the two of them; Kat, and Rocky might have had other ideas. Even fighting together they were unable to keep up with their four attackers. Kat had taken a knock to the side of the head early on, which in turn allowed the creatures to gain the upper hand. Now Kat and Rocky were struggling to regain the momentum.

"This isn't going very well!" Kat shouted to Rocky as the two of them backed towards each other.

"So I see," Rocky nodded, glancing behind him. Something occurred to him as he saw two things: Tanya and Adam taking care of their opponents with their special Zeo moves, and Tommy about to get run through. "Kat, when I give the word, jump hard left. Then - what Adam and Tanya did - we do."

A quick glance over her own shoulder showed the Pink Ranger what he meant, and she nodded. "Ready," she murmured. A heartbeat later, Rocky shouted, and both of them moved, her to the left, him to the right. It was an old trick, and the creatures only seemed to partially fall for it, slamming together, but quickly looking up for their prey almost at the same moment.

That wasn't quite the right thing to do, however, as their questing eyes were met by Kat's Pink Fire Cloud. Just as their companion had a few short feet away, two faded away into nothingness. Kat leaned against a tree for a moment, trying to catch her breath. "Rocky?" she panted.

"Here!" Rocky didn't seem to be much winded, as he waved to her. Zeo Ranger III was still avoiding two of the creatures. He shouted, "Zeo III Spinning Power Punch!"

A moment later, he almost sauntered over to her. "Four down," he said, his eyes flicking behind them. "Come on, let's go help Tommy!"

The Red Ranger was still caught up in the grip of one creature. Tanya and Adam were trying to keep the one with the knife away, but it didn't look as if they were having a great deal of luck.

"We know how to get rid of these things," Kat said firmly. "I don't like doing it with Tommy in there, but I don't think we have any options."

"Then let's do it," Adam nodded as the four of them backed up. One by one they got ready, charging up their special attacks.

"Pink Fire Cloud!"

"Zeo II Power Kick!"

"Zeo III Spinning Power Punch!"

"Zeo IV Power Punch!"

The four attacks landed in almost every area of the creatures' bodies, and every one missed Tommy. As the one gripping him collapsed into dust, Tommy fell to the ground, his head pounding and hardly able to stand up.

"Red Ranger!" Kat rushed over to him, quickly gathering him into her arms. "Are you all right?"

~Stupid question, Hilliard, he almost got the breath squeezed out of him!~

For a moment there was no answer, then a soft voice said, "Are the kids all right?"

The Rangers looked at each other, then up in the tree where the children had taken refuge. "They're fine," Rocky smiled wearily under his helmet. "They're fine."

A growl reminded them there was still one creature to deal with: the one with the knife. Fortunately Tommy saw it coming.

"Zeo V Power Sword!"

The movement was short and brutal. The head barely touched the ground before turning to dust.

"That was too close," he panted.

"And it's not over yet!" Rocky stated as the dusted reformed this time into a single beast.

* * *

He had watched as his first attempt at foot soldiers were destroyed. That was no big deal he would make his own troops in time and not rely on such crude constructs. Then the unexpected had happened: the destroyed creatures had reformed into a single being. He smiled as it knocked the Rangers around with no real effort. It didn't have a strategy, it just hit anything that moved and the Rangers were certainly moving.

This was an unexpected end to his first attack. He had expected his soldiers to wear the Rangers down before being destroyed, but obviously they had been stronger than he believed. He doubted this combined beast would survive, but if it wore the Rangers down it would make the effort worthwhile. He frowned as a new Ranger appeared on the scene; obviously the Zeo Rangers were in trouble.

* * *

"Dragon Sword!" Sam cried as he vaulted towards the Zeo Rangers. His sword drawn he tried to make his sudden appearance count, but a strong punch sent him flying in the opposite direction.

He had sensed the attack on the Rangers and had come to help, but he quickly discovered that simply showing up didn't always get the job done. The punch had left him winded and unable to defend himself as the other Rangers were forced to cover for him.

But the effect had been enough. He had managed to distract the creature long enough for the Rangers to summon and fire the Zeo Cannon. The blast bounced harmlessly off as the creature started to grow, but struck the ground in beneath it. The ground exploded upwards, preventing the creature from growing fully.

"Fire Two!" Tommy ordered.

The blast was unleashed and the creature was destroyed, much to the Rangers relief.

* * *

He watched as his creation was destroyed. It didn't matter too much to him. After all it had not taken any real power to create it. The soldiers had been prototypes and had served their purpose. They had gone on to provide an entertaining battle with the Rangers. Of course they had lost; they were weak no matter how strong they appeared.

Had he been capable of doing so, he would have been smiling. He found it amusing that even now the Rangers were glad their ordeal was over when in fact it had only just begun.

* * *

A ball of black energy zoomed through the air, striking each of the Rangers in turn. As they moved to block the next shot, it changed direction and sought out a different target. Sparks flew from the Rangers' uniforms as the blurred figure wove its way between them. Only when it finally stopped did they have the chance to understand what they were facing.

"Who are you?" Tommy asked, Zeo V Power Sword raised and ready to block the next attack, his weight balanced on his right foot so he could attack by pushing off with his left leg.

Minion laughed, it was nice to be forgotten. In the back of his mind though a little voice was asking why he had stopped; why was he giving away his secret so early in the game? He squashed that thought for the time being, his red eyes shifting to blue as he observed his opponents. Aisha was missing, such a shame. Tanya would make a suitable replacement though and he could always get the other girl later.

"How soon we forget, Tommy," he answered. "You don't remember me, but I'm sure you remember this." He pulled the Sword of Darkness into a ready position and was pleased to see both Red Zeo and the Green Ranger take a step back. "The Sword of Darkness, mine to command and just as deadly as ever."

He shifted position, appearing next to Yellow Zeo and cut her down with a swift blow across the back. For Pink Zeo he had a similar attack, which she somehow managed to deflect. She missed the backhand that followed though and the burst of energy that tore into her chest ensured that she went down.

Blue and Green Zeo were moving by now and attacked with sufficient force to make him step back. This was where the Sword of Darkness played its part. The weapon moved of its own accord, seeking out the weak points in the Rangers' defences. The blade caught Green Zeo around the knee, the explosive energy causing more damage than the cut. Green Zeo was thrown back as Minion brought the sword around for a finishing chop.

Blue Zeo was there before Minion could make the killing blow. He tried to use his cumbersome Zeo Arm Blades against the villain and when that failed, he drove his shoulder into the black clad figure. Minion spun backward, his sword at the horizontal so that it shredded through the Ranger's chest protection.

Again Minion wondered why he had stopped short. That blow could have chopped the Ranger in two and yet, apart from some blood, the Blue Zeo Ranger was intact. It was not a problem with the sword or his strength, they were perfect. Something had stopped him for landing a fatal blow; he was being manipulated and he had a good idea of who was influencing him. It didn't stop him from following up though.

Rocky's eyes widened in pain and his Arm Blades were forgotten as both hands moved to cup the open wound in his chest. He didn't even see the sword closing in on him until after he heard the commotion as Adam returned the favour by saving his life. Rocky collapsed backwards just as Adam's injured knee gave way and he stumbled. It didn't matter though, the Green Zeo Ranger had done enough to dissuade Minion who now turned his attention to the two uninjured Rangers.

Red Zeo and Green Ranger attacked together. It was clear that Red Zeo was the superior of the two and that Green Ranger was out of practice. Still while one drew Minion's sword in one direction, the other tried to use the opening to land their blows. Both were surprised when his body flickered and their weapons passed through. He flickered again and the handle of his sword landed firmly under Red Zeo's helmet.

"So they managed to find a new Green Ranger did they?" Minion asked unaware of Sam's history. "Your predecessor didn't last very long and I'll be happy to show you why."

Sam was confused. Who was this predecessor that the villain referred to? He realised that despite all the fighting and boasting, the masked warrior had yet to answer the question and reveal his name. He didn't have time to give it much thought though as the Sword of Darkness once again sparked against the Dragon Shield.

Minion poured a little more energy into his movements, allowing himself to shift easily around the Dragon Ranger. His sword was constantly moving back and forth as he tried to turn the Ranger into a pincushion. Green Ranger surprised him when he unleashed a ball of green energy. While not enough to hurt him, it caused Minion to reconsider this Ranger. ~This one knows more about the powers than Tommy did.~ He returned the favour with a blast of his own, but while Sam had been acting out of desperation, Minion intensified the wave after it had connected with the Green Ranger and poured the darker powers of the Morphin Grid into the shockwave. He could sense that the Green Ranger was still there and respected him for hanging on. Then with another pulse he tried to rip the Dragon Ranger apart.

Red Zeo groaned. The sword had connected painfully with his lower jaw and it had taken valuable time to regain his senses. When he did so he saw that the Green Ranger was on the verge of being destroyed by the dark figure's fury.

"Zeo V Star Blast!"

A burst of red energy emerged from his helmet, striking the tip of the Zeo V Power Sword. When the sword was fully charged, he unleashed the blast. A star-shaped burst connected with the masked villain, ending his attack on the Green Ranger who lay unmoving from the assault.

"Ah Tommy, ever the hero, always there in the nick of time to save the day," Minion mocked.

"Do I know you?" Red Zeo asked.

"We've met before," Minion told him as they circled, swords at the ready. With a flick the Sword of Darkness was in the ready position and he moved in.

Red Zeo backed up as his sword moved to block the aggressive blows. He turned, twisted, blocked and countered, never allowing his assailant to move inside his guard. He dropped into a low leg sweep, which his opponent jumped and then pushed upwards with as much force as he could muster to deliver an uppercut. He had some satisfaction as the villain's head rolled back. That turned to concern as Minion followed through and pushed his body into a somersault. Red Zeo dodged left, narrowly avoiding the sword that had almost ripped through his hip; he used the Zeo V Power Sword to slap his opponent's weapon aside.

Minion was getting annoyed. Three times he had been in a position to make the kill and three times he had failed to follow through. What was going on and why was he fighting with such a strong disadvantage? Still, even if he couldn't destroy the Rangers he could let them know what they were in for.

He unleashed another burst of energy, this time allowing it to strike all of the Rangers at once. He wasn't aiming to destroy them this time, but he waited until they were unable to move before he stopped. There was no reason for them to know about his inability to kill.

"And so the mighty have fallen," he said as he floated a few inches from the ground. "If this is the best the Earth can manage then you would do well to surrender before you get hurt."

"We won't give up," Red Zeo answered.

Minion laughed. "You've already lost Tommy, you just don't know it." He ripped off his mask, revealing the scarred flesh beneath. "You live only because Minion has decided to show you mercy."

He heard the murmurs of disbelief from some of the Rangers as they tried to deny his existence. He should have been dead and didn't confuse them further by agreeing with them. From the Yellow and Pink Zeo Rangers he sensed confusion although he knew Kat recognised him. He wasn't too surprised and knew her friends would explain it later. Green Ranger's reaction was interesting. There was recognition, but instead of disbelief he sensed resignation. He filed that knowledge away for future reference.

"You were destroyed," Rocky protested. "The curse."

"Was irrelevant," Minion answered. He frowned, he hadn't said those words. "There are powers at work here that are beyond human comprehension. Surrender - now!"

"We'll never give up," Yellow Zeo snarled. She brought her Zeo Pistol into play and fired. Her first few shots missed, but the sixth caught his hand and the seventh his knee. He recovered quickly, but the momentum was lost.

"You need time to think," he announced as he vanished, leaving them with his parting words: "Make the right choice."

* * *

The Power Chamber

The Rangers had left at long last. It had taken them time to recover from their ordeal. Fortunately the Power Chamber had a small area where they could shower and change. They had taken full advantage of the opportunity and the medical facilities to ease the pain of their bruises. A little time with Alpha though and they were back to normal.

Zordon was busy analysing the data the Zeo Rangers had collected and had confirmed his fears. This Minion was the same monster they had faced months before under the tutelage of Mistress Repugna. The energy readings had changed, there was a new master pulling the strings. Whatever it was that had rescued Minion from that curse had to be powerful and Zordon had the feeling that they would be hearing more from that individual in due time.

* * *

Minion was in a bad place, a place of pain that he had not felt since gaining his freedom from the Dark Dimension. He had arrived here instead of the Lunar Palace as he had intended.

"Treachery." He knew the voice to the one who had freed him.

"Why master, why have you brought me here?" He had a very good idea why.

"You have forgotten your place Minion," the voice answered. "You were told: go to Earth and bring me the means to resume my conquest. I told you to prepare the way, my chosen warrior. You have seen fit to spend your time on a personal vendetta."

Red lightning sprang from the boy's hands causing Minion to scream in pain. Dagsyxx continued until he was certain that Minion understood his place.

"I can get to you at anytime Minion," he said, his voice low. "I can pluck you from mid-teleport and bring you here with a thought. I could destroy you without a significant effort." There was a pause as Minion was hit by another wave of lightning. "Your purpose is to prepare the way for those I choose to further my cause and to secure Serpenterra. Do so or I will reconsider allowing you to exist."

"Yes, I will obey," Minion managed. As he finally teleported back to the Lunar Palace Minion's mind was focussed purely upon his master and how if he would have to die for Minion to progress with his plans. There was a problem though, if he disobeyed he would be punished. Unless of course he chose to reinterpret the Dagsyxx's orders; who was to say what preparing the way entailed, who was to say that Serpenterra didn't need a test flight before he sent it to his master?

He would need to be careful, but in the end everything would go as he planned. Minion's plans were too brilliant to go wrong. Besides, the one-time emperor had said himself that he had once been a servant of a greater power, the source of all evil known to the Universe. He was Minion, a future ruler of all he surveyed. How dare a mere servant, even one as powerful as Dagsyxx, tell him what to do?

**End **


	5. Fall of the Zords

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Fall of the Zords

Less than a week had passed since Minion had had his first battle with the Rangers and his most recent punishment from Dagsyxx. He had spent the time since then preparing for the next phase of his plan. And as he had worked, sculpting the creatures that would lead to his victory from various materials, he had ranted about his unfair treatment by his self-appointed master. "How dare he dictate terms to Minion?"

Finster shook his head sadly and continued to work on more of his creations. Minion had been asking the question over and over again and although sympathetic, Finster couldn't understand why Minion was so upset; the villain had been less than forthcoming in his answers. From what he had managed to piece together, Dagsyxx had been the one responsible for Minion's return from the dead. He had given Minion a task and had recently punished Minion for following his own agenda.

He wasn't really felling sympathetic toward Minion. This Dagsyxx, clearly a villain of some considerable power was clearly Minion's superior and given his recent actions, expected to be obeyed, just as Zedd expected Finster to follow his commands. If Minion had been powerful enough to destroy this Dagsyxx, he would have done so. Since he was pacing back and forth, cursing the other villain's name, Finster assumed he didn't have that much power.

He had also noticed that Minion had taken to referring to himself in the third person. While at first it amused him, it also highlighted a possible mental problem that in Finster's mind could prove disastrous.

"These creations are no use to Minion at this time," Minion said, eyeing Finster's work critically. "Maybe after Minion defeats them they may prove useful; you do have an eye for the hideous Finster. Minion will be calling on your services later. Perhaps-."

"Hey," Rito shouted as he entered the workshop. "Where have Ed and the others gone?"

Minion grinned and without warning lashed out at Rito; Rita's brother made a perfect target for him to vent his frustration. The back of his hand made contact with Rito's chin resulting in a sickening crack followed by a thrust to the chest with the palm of his hand. Rito's chest shattered as Minion drove his hand into the bone. When it reached the other side, Minion grabbed the mutant's backbone and used it to lift Rito off the ground.

For a moment Minion seemed to enjoy the cries of pain he could hear emanating from Rito. Then he grew tired with the demonstration and threw Rito to the ground.

"Minion will tell you this once and only once," the villain hissed as Rito tried to pick himself off the floor. "If you ever interrupt again, you will be pulled apart, bone by bone." To emphasise his point Minion stomped on Rito's skull. "And his name is Zedd, not Ed!"

Finster watched the display with interest and not a little fear. If he was lucky then Minion would take out all his aggression on Rito. If however attacking Rito made Minion feel too good, the villain might decide to attack him as well. Finster knew Rito could recover, but he doubted he would be able to take that sort of abuse.

"Finster!" Minion shouted.

"Yes Minion?" Finster replied nervously.

For a moment Minion had been tempted to kill the monster maker. ~But that would be a waste of a good mind,~ he thought.

"Take that thing," he said pointing to Rito, "to Lord Zedd. Maybe he can use him on his home world. Tell him Minion will deal with the Rangers himself."

In his mind Finster considered arguing. Rita and Zedd were in charge after all and they had told him to remain. On the hand, if Minion really wanted him out of the way, he could execute him and tell Rita and Zedd some story about Finster betraying them.

"As you wish," Finster said.

As Finster moved over to where Rito was lying, Minion summoned the Sword of Darkness and used it to send the two fools to join their family. Then he turned his attention to more important matters, namely the creation of some more suitable followers.

During the time he had spent pacing back and forth spouting countless obscenities, Minion had been busy crafting the bodies of his new servants. They had been made by encasing a body he had sculpted using a living metal called Viventallum in an outer skin made from a second metal. Minion had used silver for one and brass for the second model. He pointed the Sword of Darkness at the lifeless creatures and used the power of the Morphin Grid to overlay a series of enchantments that turned the lifeless statues into living creatures.

"You are Silvo," Minion told the silver henchmen, his favoured follower.

Silvo had been forged to resemble of muscular humanoid. He had been gifted with wings, but unlike Goldar's, who could use them to fly, his were not aerodynamic. A levitation spell made it possible for him to use the metal wings as aerofoils. On his left hip he wore a samurai style sword. Although he was programmed to use it sparingly, this was his most potent weapon.

"You are the soldier," Minion told his creation. "You are more than a match for any mere Ranger, and with my foot soldiers to back you up, a one machine army."

Behind Silvo a group of smaller machines had been constructed. They were made from unrefined Viventallum that allowed them to move and to remain aware of their surroundings while not exhibiting the behaviour patterns of Silvo. They had blank plates over their faces and seamless bodies. Every time they moved their bodies reformed, thus eliminating the need for muscles or motors. Minion decided that the best way to judge the weapons he had provided for his troops was to send them into battle.

"WD Units, you will obey Silvo's commands unless Minion decrees otherwise," he said.

The foot soldiers nodded their understanding; lacking the ability to speak, that was the best they could accomplish. Minion turned his attention to the immobile second henchman. "You are Brasso, bodyguard of Minion and second in command of my army."

Brasso was more streamlined than Silvo. He was slightly taller, definitely thinner and had a differently shaped head. In his hands he held a short staff tipped with a blade on each end. After testing the weight he put it away and returned his attention to Minion.

Finally Minion turned to his last creation. With Finster gone Minion decided he was in need of a monster builder. He had decided to create someone with the combined knowledge of Finster and Klank and the imagination of a human.

The result was a human body with cybernetic implants. Minion had already selected the memories his creation would possess and had implanted all the necessary knowledge. The parts of the brain dealing with emotion had been removed, creating the second most evil mind on the Moon, ever. Finally Minion connected his creation to the castle's computer. The result was a lethal killer who was forever tied to the computer and could never turn against its master.

"Bronzo, I have a special task for you. I want it ready for use as soon as I take away the Rangers' powers."

"Yes master," Bronzo replied.

Bronzo and Minion left the chamber to discuss the newly created henchman's first task.

* * *

"Sam, why do you hide from them?" the voice asked.

"I thought I'd heard the last of you," Sam said angrily.

"You know I cannot leave you," the voice replied.

"But, I accepted who I am," Sam protested.

"No," the voice replied. "You accepted you are the clone of Thomas Oliver. You have accepted that you are the Green Ranger. But you have not accepted your true role in the Rangers' lives. The Green Ranger is not destined to remain an outsider who hides when the battle is over. He is a comrade they know they can rely on."

"They don't need me," Sam said. "They have the Green Ranger to back them up and they have Sam as a friend. They don't need me."

"So you have not learnt," the voice said. "You are still scared of being rejected. They will need you soon."

Sam's morpher appeared in front of him. "Morph!" the voice commanded.

Sam did as he was told. "Dragonzord!"

"Good," the voice said. The image of the Green Ranger appeared as it had a few days before. "Hold out your sword, Sam. It is time you witnessed your future."

Sam summoned his sword, noticing the head of the dragon was glowing green and held it out towards the image. The image reached out and grabbed the sword, sending a blast of energy into Sam's body, accompanied by flashes of unwinding events. Sam collapsed to the floor.

"Ow," Sam muttered as the blast caused him to wake from his dream state.

He was in his house in Angel Grove. Downstairs he could hear the family he had created moving about, living their made up lives. Sighing, he decided to get up, all the time remembering the vision he had had just before waking.

Shaking his head, Sam decided to go to the Youth Center. At least there he could keep an eye on things in case he was needed.

* * *

Minion sat cross-legged on the floor, his two glowing eyes closed. He had never learnt meditation and seemed incapable of entering a deep trance, despite having studied the theory. Natural telepathy was not something he had inherited from the original. In the end he was forced to use magic to extend his senses. He used his suddenly awakened mind to touch the minds of his enemies.

One by one he felt their presence in the Morphin Grid, some stronger than others. Tommy, the often guilt-ridden leader, so close to losing it and yet able to draw strength from his friends to hold on. Rocky the fun loving goof ball, a deadly adversary and one of the most innocent Rangers. Katherine Hilliard once Rita's pawn against the Rangers; Minion could feel so much good in her he seriously doubted Rita's spell ever had a chance. Tanya Young the most inexperienced Ranger. Minion considered her for a moment. Although she had a strong will, she was the weak link among the Rangers. Finally, Adam Park a warrior with a strong sense of honour and skill.

Every one of them was going to fight to the end, but that did not concern Minion. The end would come for them soon.

Reaching out further Minion searched for the other Rangers who might be able to help them. Trini Kwan and Zachary Taylor, both skilled fighters were in Geneva, unaware of the danger their friends were in. Kimberly Hart was currently training for the Olympics. Minion checked and discovered Angel Grove was a long way from her thoughts. Billy Cranston was beyond his reach having escaped Aquitar, a situation he promised to remedy as soon as possible. Lord Trey of Triforia was somewhere in space. It was difficult since Trey's energy was split between three entities. All the Rangers friends were either unaware of the fate their friends were about to endure, or unable to do anything about it.

That left two minds for Minion to check. The first was Jason Lee-Scott. If anybody could help the Rangers, it was him. Minion sensed the strong body and spirit he had always felt when around the boy. Upon closer inspection he dismissed Jason as a minor threat. True the boy was strong, but his power was almost gone. A brief morph and it would all be over for the former leader of the Rangers.

It was the second mind, which concerned Minion. He knew the Green Dragon Ranger was on Earth, but had no idea who it was. Without that information he could not touch the Ranger's mind. There was something else about that Ranger. A feeling he had had once before, but could not place.

Dismissing the thought as irrelevant he summoned Silvo. "Send a batch of WD Units to Earth, now!"

Silvo bowed low and gestured to the nearest Trooper. A portal opened and the WD Units stepped through.

* * *

Minion's attack had shaken the Rangers and their allies. Since the first encounter they had been on their guard, but with the lack of a follow up assault, Zordon had finally decided that they needed to relax for a while.

"Heads up Tommy," Rocky called, throwing the Frisbee towards his friend.

Tommy jumped into the air, spinning as he caught the Frisbee and threw it towards Tanya. "Nice throw," he said as he landed.

Jason sat back against the tree, watching his friends having fun. Normally he would have joined them, but today he was too tired to play. At first they were going to hang out at the Youth Center, but when Rocky turned up with his siblings and their friends in tow it had been decided to go to the park instead. Eventually what had started off as a meeting between seven friends had been transformed into a small party.

"Is this a private party or can anybody join?" Kat asked as she sat next to him.

"Please," Jason replied, indicating a spot.

Kat sat next to her friend. While he continued watching the game of Frisbee she chose to watch Samuel Revilo and David Trueheart sparring. Surprisingly neither was able to gain the upper hand. ~It's like watching David and Tommy,~ she thought. Under his brother's supervision David had improved his skills and was now as good a fighter as any Ranger.

Over the time she had grown to know him Kat had been amazed by how different David was. While Tommy always seemed to have some darkness within him David was filled with light. ~Stop thinking like that,~ she told herself. ~You're meant to be Tommy's girlfriend.~

"David's good," Jason noted, startling her back to reality.

Kat was about to reply when a silver spear struck the tree, just missing her head. As quickly as possible the two teens were on their feet, searching for the source of the spear. Another five spears hit the ground not far from where she was standing.

In the sky over Angel Grove a black masked face appeared, which Tommy easily recognised from their past encounter. In the background were three metal beings. One was silver and the other two were bronze and brass. Tommy's eyes went wide as the image grew larger, revealing the Sword of Darkness in his hand.

"Citizens of Earth, pay attention. I, Minion proclaim myself as your new ruler. Minion expects a quick and efficient surrender. Resistance shall result in termination."

The image faded and Jason once again looked around, trying to spot the source of the spear. He soon found it, fifty metal soldiers had appeared in a circle around the park, cutting off any route that the Rangers might have used to escape.

"We're going to have to fight," Jason said. He had tried his communicator and found the teleport function jammed. "Let's go."

"Right," Kat agreed.

While Tommy, Kat, Adam, Jason, Tanya, Sam and David formed into a circle defending the younger children, Rocky was searching for a way to get the innocents clear.

"When I say now, run," he told Chelsea Oliver.

Tommy's sister nodded her understanding, catching hold of the younger DeSantos children. Next to her Franklin Park and her younger brother Teddy had managed to organise the others so the strongest fighters were on the outside, protecting the younger children.

"Can't you just teleport us out?" Chelsea asked.

For a moment Rocky considered trying again, but decided against it. Now was not the time to rely on the system miraculously working. Instead he whispered back, "Jammed."

Chelsea nodded and watched as the circle of friends moved outwards, drawing their attackers towards them.

"Now!" Rocky shouted as he saw the break in the soldiers.

Chelsea and the others ran as fast as they could. As soon as they were clear of the WD Units they were teleported to the monster shelter.

"You and Sam go next," Tommy told his brother.

"No way," Sam said. "We all go together."

"He's right," David agreed. "You guys are going to need all the help you can get." He waited until Sam had turned away before adding to Tommy, "At least until I can get Sam clear so you can morph."

"Look out, here they come!" Jason shouted.

* * *

Zordon and Alpha had been watching the events unfold from the time Minion appeared. Despite Alpha's best attempts he had been unable to teleport David and the human known as Sam to safety.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Zordon I can't teleport the Rangers out either," Alpha reported.

"Calm yourself Alpha," Zordon advised. "Tell the Rangers to morph. Minion's forces are too powerful to face without their powers."

Alpha looked at the Viewing Globe, noticing the extra human in the area. "Zordon, there's someone with the Rangers."

"Tell them to morph Alpha," Zordon commanded. "We can limit the damage afterwards. Their lives are more important than any secret." ~Besides,~ Zordon thought to himself, ~David might be able to cover for the Rangers so they can morph without their other friend finding out.~ In his heart Zordon knew it was a long shot, but still worth hoping for.

"Tommy, Zordon says that you are to morph immediately."

* * *

Alpha's voice came over the communicator loud and clear. The Rangers and Sam had formed a circle and were trying to keep the attackers at bay. David was inside the circle, protecting an injured Kat from further harm.

"I'll be okay," she assured him. "Accelerated healing is kicking in. But I don't think I'll be able to fight."

David carefully examined her leg. Even though he wasn't a trained doctor, it was obvious that it was broken.

"Take this," Kat whispered, handing David her Zeoniser.

David took the Zeoniser and strapped onto his wrist. Immediately he felt the power telling him what to do. Standing up he joined Tommy and the others.

"We'll explain later," Tommy promised Sam. Morphing in front of a civilian was not something he wanted to do, but with one team-mate down he wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Red!"

"Gold Ranger Power!" Jason called.

"Dragonzord!"

The Rangers looked round in time to see Sam morph into the Dragon Ranger. As his sword appeared Dragon Ranger let loose a battle cry and tried to hack the nearest WD Unit's head off.

"Well that solves that problem," Gold Ranger said to his leader as they drew their own Power Swords and charged in after him.

"David," Blue Zeo shouted as he joined the fight. "Cover Kat and try to stay under cover."

The acting Pink Zeo Ranger nodded in agreement, drawing his Zeo Laser Pistol just in case. He was glad he did not have to fight, even with powers. He was also relieved because although his uniform was determined by the Power and not by him, unlike Jason, at least the Zeo Crystal had adapted for the fact he was male and removed the skirt.

"Ugh!"

David turned towards the source of the noise and saw two of the machines holding the Gold Ranger while a third machine pummelled him with punches. There was a loud crack and David could see Jason demorphing, his powers exhausted.

"No!" Pink Zeo shouted, summoning the Zeo I Power Shield.

As the three machines turned to face David he threw the disklike shield at them. Sparks flew as it made contact with their metallic bodies before bouncing harmlessly away. The Green Zeo Ranger had used the diversion to attack all three WD Units with his Zeo IV Power Hatchets. Although the attack failed to cause any real damage, it managed to convince the machines to attack him instead of his fallen comrade.

* * *

Minion's satellites relayed the battle on the planet to the Lunar Palace. The fight had barely started and already two of the Rangers were out of action with a third untrained Ranger trying to defend them. In addition the Gold Ranger had exhausted his powers and Minion now knew the identity of the Green Dragon Ranger.

Minion then checked on his own troops. So far none of them had fallen in battle despite the Rangers' best efforts. If this kept up he would soon have an easy victory.

"Silvo, tell your soldiers to increase their attack to full power," Minion instructed.

* * *

Adam was desperately outnumbered. Even if all the Rangers were available, the odds would have been difficult to beat. With Jason and Kat out of the fight and David looking after them Adam found himself fighting multiple WD Units. He barely ducked as one of the robots fired a weapon at him. He looked at the ground where the object had landed and realised it was a spear, at least as long as his arm.

"Tommy," Green Zeo called to his leader. "Those spears are inside them."

The Red Zeo Ranger nodded, taking his attention off his opponents long enough to nod. That was all the time the WD Unit needed. It moulded its hands into sharp edged blades and slashed at the Red Ranger.

As Adam was distracted seeing his leader fall, he failed to notice the WD Unit sneak up behind him. Before he could react, it punched him to the back of the neck. The Green Zeo Ranger looked up to see the WD Unit preparing to fire another spear, this time at his head.

* * *

Yellow Zeo had summoned her Nunchuks and had started to bludgeon the nearest opponent. Then after freeing one end of the weapon she struck out, using the chain to increase the momentum. As the solid club struck, the WD Unit's neck Yellow Zeo drew her Zeo Pistol and fired. The machine fell backwards, stunned by the attack.

As Yellow Zeo prepared for the next target it grabbed her from behind. Tanya found herself deposited on the back of her neck, the Zeo suit absorbing some but not all of the shock. She looked up, unable to move as another WD Unit prepared to hit her.

* * *

"Any bright ideas?" Blue Zeo asked.

"Yeah," Dragon Ranger replied from his position at Rocky's back. "Teleport out of here as quickly as possible."

In back-to-back formation they had managed to hold their own against the machines, but were fading fast. Looking around Rocky saw Tanya being driven into the ground.

"Duck!" Blue Zeo shouted.

As the Dragon Ranger moved to obey his blue companion leapt over his back, driving his Zeo Power Axe into the WD Unit's chest. As he pulled away, Dragon Ranger pushed his Blade Blaster into the damaged patch and fired. The WD Unit collapsed as the Blade Blaster's energy ripped through to emerge from all directions, effectively slicing it in half.

"I don't believe it!" Blue Zeo complained as he noticed the WD Unit still moving, despite being cut in half. As he watched the two halves rejoined.

A silver spear struck the Blue Zeo Ranger in the shoulder, allowing more of the metal warriors to fall on him. ~This is bad,~ he thought as his helmet cracked under the constant pounding.

* * *

"Enough!" Minion shouted.

Before him was a scene many villains had only ever dreamed of. The Power Rangers were almost all beaten. The only exception was a newcomer, who Minion intended to humiliate before killing.

"Silvo, call back the WD Units," he ordered. "Then go to Angel Grove and destroy the Green Ranger."

Silvo looked at the screen. All the other Rangers had been beaten down, leaving only the Green Ranger facing twenty WD Units. The machines fell on top of the Ranger, punching and kicking him into submission. An evil smile formed on Silvo's metallic lips.

"As you wish master," he said as he left.

Minion couldn't help smiling under his mask. He had known what Silvo was thinking and was pleased his henchmen were intelligent enough to know when they had an advantage. Whether Silvo could use that advantage remained to be seen.

* * *

"WD Units, dismissed!" Silvo shouted as he appeared.

As the silver soldiers moved to obey, Silvo stalked the Green Dragon Ranger, grabbing him by the neck and throwing him into the center of the park, away from his friends. As Silvo moved away from the area Zordon was able to lock onto the fallen Rangers and teleport them back to the Power Chamber.

Sam forced himself awake. Silvo's initial assault had injured him more than the WD Units and he could already sense his attacker getting near.

Silvo waited until the Dragon Ranger got back to his feet before kicking him in the stomach and power bombing him into the ground. Lifting the Ranger by the neck, he started to choke the Ranger in unconsciousness.

"Fireball!" Sam shouted.

His hand erupted with green fire, catching Silvo off guard. Instead of dropping the Ranger however, Silvo drove him into the ground. With the Ranger down he continued to pummel him until Silvo could see blood seeping from a hole in the Ranger's armour. Kneeling next to the Ranger, Silvo opened Sam's helmet exposing the boy's face. Drawing his fist back, he awaited Minion's permission to continue.

A portal opened a Minion stepped through. Silvo bowed to his master and taking the hint disappeared.

"ZORDON!" Minion shouted.

* * *

Zordon turned his attention Viewing Globe. When Alpha had managed to teleport the Rangers back to the Power Chamber, Alpha had sprung into action. Thanks to the little droid's actions the injured Rangers had all been demorphed and stabilised. Most were suffering from broken bones, although in one case Zordon had had to use his powers to help heal internal damage.

"ZORDON!" the voice boomed a second time. "Minion knows that you can hear, Zordon!"

"I am here Minion," Zordon replied. "What do you want?"

"Your little Power Pukes left something behind," Minion sneered. Reaching down he pulled up the battered Green Dragon Ranger, now bleeding from several wounds. Sam's helmet had been destroyed, placing the armour into standby mode. Minion placed the Sword of Darkness across Sam's neck.

"What do you want Minion?" Zordon asked.

"A simple trade," Minion replied. "You give me the Zeo Crystal and Minion will return this piece of trash."

Zordon thought for a moment. Every part of him wanted to send the Rangers back out to destroy Minion, but he did not have that option. In addition he doubted they would be able to either beat Minion or free their friend. Faced with an impossible choice Zordon did the only thing possible under the circumstances. ~I cannot sacrifice someone just to hold onto a power,~ Zordon thought. ~If I do, then I don't deserve to hold it anymore.~

"Very well Minion," Zordon said. "I will teleport the Zeo Crystal to you. But be warned, if you harm him, you will be destroyed."

"As you wish Zordon," Minion hissed with a mock bow. "As you wish." He picked up the crystal when it appeared. "Now, you shall see that Minion is a creature of honour. Take him back."

In a flash of green the prisoner was gone. Minion allowed himself to smile. While Zordon was busy caring for the injured Green Ranger, he would ensure the Ranger's were even less of a threat. He had taken their powers, now he intended to take their Zords. That would ensure that when Bronzo had finished his work the Rangers wouldn't stand a chance.

* * *

Alpha ran the medical scanner over Sam's unconscious form. He had tried several times to monitor the young Ranger, but although Alpha was able to heal some of the wounds, the scanners refused to detect the Green Ranger's presence. To make matters worse, Zordon had been unable to forcibly demorph the Ranger.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, nothing is working Zordon," Alpha reported.

"Keep trying," Zordon instructed.

"Yes Zordon," Alpha replied, returning to his work.

A small alarm sounded in the Power Chamber causing both Zordon and Alpha to investigate. The control panel, which the Rangers used to control the Zeo Launcher, was operating by itself. Already the Zeo Megazord, Super Zeo Megazord and Warrior Wheel had been loaded for launch.

"Alpha, eject the Zeo Launcher before the Red Battlezord is lost as well!" Zordon boomed. As he spoke, he noticed the other Zords had already been launched.

Alpha pushed the buttons on the console, causing the Zeo Launcher to eject from the Zord Holding Bay and explode near the bottom of the mountain. Zordon realised the Rangers would probably never use those Zords again. ~The Rangers will probably never use the Zeo Crystal again,~ he thought.

* * *

"Sam, wake up!"

Sam opened his eyes to find himself hovering over the medical table in the Power Chamber. As he looked down he could see the battered the remains of his body and Alpha desperately trying to help him.

"Am I dead?" Sam asked.

"No," the familiar voice said. "But if Zordon and Alpha cannot heal you, you will be."

"Why are they not healing me then?" Sam asked.

"Because you do not want them too," the voice replied. "They want to help you but cannot do so while you are hiding from them. Only you can save you life, and to do so you will need stop hiding and reveal yourself."

Sam thought about the choice he faced. If he removed the spell that hid him from the Ranger and everybody else then he would survive. But if he did remove the spell he risked losing the people he cared most about and being alone again. For a moment he was tempted to just keep the spell and die, but what then. The Green Powers would be lost and the Rangers would be in even worse shape than they were now.

~I caused Zordon to give up the Zeo Crystal,~ he thought. ~How can I quit before I have made amends?~

"At last you have seen sense," the voice said, once again taking the form of the Green Ranger. The voice changed to resemble someone Sam had come to respect over the years. The image flew into the Plasma Tube causing its inhabitant to smile, "Welcome back, Sam."

* * *

"Ah, there you are," Minion said as the three large Zords appeared.

While Zordon and Alpha had been otherwise occupied, Minion had manipulated the energies of the Zeo Crystal, using their link with the Power Chamber's computer system, which had been compromised by Cyber Agent months before. He had ordered all the Zords to launch, but somehow Zordon had managed to prevent the Red Battlezord from being lost. For what he had in mind though, it did not matter.

"Fight me!" Minion commanded, manipulating the machines into switching to autopilot. After teleporting the Zeo Crystal to a safe place Minion prepared himself to destroy the Rangers' prize weapons.

Before any of the three Zords could react, Minion rushed them with his sword. Using the power blade he knocked the Warrior Wheel, attacking in robot-mode, to the ground.

Minion had spent time studying the Zords the Rangers had used since Zordon first recruited them. After watching their battles he had managed to learn the weaknesses of each of the Megazords.

The Dino Megazord had been quick and had been able to take abuse well, but lacked the strength and firepower of the future Zords. The Dragonzord had been more powerful, but lacked any finishing manoeuvres. Ultimately they had been destroyed not through the act of an enemy, but because Zordon had failed to enhance them.

The Thunder Megazord had the raw power, but was unable to survive a sustained attack. The Tigerzord was powerful, but was reliant on the cooperation between Ranger and Saba. In the end it had been their lack of endurance, which had drained them to the point where Rito had been able to defeat them. Minion wondered what would have happened if Zordon had given the Rangers access to the real Thunder powers, instead of allowing them to draw the power through their Dinocoins.

The Ninja Megazord and Ninja MegaFalconzord were the most agile of the Zords, but neither Zord was unable to defend itself against swords. The Shogun Megazord and Shogun MegaFalconzord were powerful and heavily armoured, but lacked the speed to defeat the faster monsters. Together they had made a good set of Zords, complementing each other well. Unfortunately the Ninja Zords' reliance on the Falcon Zord meant that when Zedd had stolen it all the Ninja Zords had been disabled.

Then came his current opponents. It was easy to find the weakness with the Zeo Megazord or the Red Battlezord. Both had been added to the Ranger's arsenal after they had gained their powers. As a result they only drew part of the power from the Zeo Crystal. If Minion had had the opportunity to face the Red Battlezord, he would have simply aimed for the cockpit. The machine was designed for Tommy only and a quick laser bolt through the glass cockpit would have ended the Zord's attack. The Megazord was at least a challenge, but Minion knew all he had to do was ground the Zord and it would be as good as scrap.

The Warrior Wheel was vulnerable when switching between modes. Minion had already damaged it, but now he planned to take advantage of its other weakness. While the Zord was down, he intended to ensure he knocked out the other two Megazords, thus eliminating its finisher. The Warrior Wheel did not have an effective solo assault.

As he was analysing his opponents the Zeo Megazord and Super Zeo Megazord had already moved into attack. The Zeo Megazord had activated its Battle Helmets. Minion had laughed as he was hit by the various assaults; even the Zeo Megazord Sabre had barely scratched him.

"Zeo Cannon!" Minion called, bracing himself as the cannon attached itself to his shoulder.

Minion fired the weapon once, blast a hole in the Zeo Megazord's chest. As the Zord collapsed Minion aimed the cannon again, this time channelling the full power of the Zeo Crystal into the blast and fired. The Megazord exploded, parts of its chest exploding over the ground as it was swiftly teleported back to the Power Chamber.

Twisting around to face the Super Zeo Megazord, Minion fired again. The blast caused some damage but the Super Zeo Megazord had been created to take more than the Zeo Cannon could give. In disgust Minion smashed the Zeo Cannon into the Super Zeo Megazord's head.

Minion had spent a long time studying the Super Zeo Megazord. It had a number of weaknesses, but none Minion could exploit to their full extent. Instead he had looked at the Zord's weapon and had discovered the combined swords generated too much power for even its wielder to use at full power.

He laughed as the Megazord struck him the first time, gesturing for it to try full power. The Zord complied and Minion saw his chance. Grabbing hold of the blade he pushed it back towards the Zord until it made contact with the Megazord's head. Minion continued to push, slicing through the Megazord. Gradually the sword started to cut through the body, emerging at the base of the body.

As the Super Zeo Megazord fell to the ground in two halves, Minion picked up the combined sword and used it to chop away the Zord's arms and legs. Finally he drove the sword into the head of the Megazord. As the Super Zeo Megazord was reduced to the Super Zeo Gems from which it was first formed, the sword disappeared with it.

"Just you and me then," Minion said as the Warrior Wheel got to its feet again, beckoning him to attack with his hand.

Faster than Minion expected the Warrior Wheel launched at him. A series of fists connected with Minion's chin. Minion laughed as he took all the punishment the Zord could dish out.

"My turn," he said.

Minion snap kicked the Warrior Wheel's knee, following up with several punches of his own. Lifting the Zord over his head in military press, Minion jerked his arms back to his sides. He threw the top part of the Warrior Wheel onto the ground in front of him, before dumping the legs on top.

He raised his hands in victory as he watched the remains of the Warrior Wheel disappear. "ZORDON! If I'd known it was going to be this easy I'd have attacked before!"

Reaching out Minion summoned the Zeo Crystal and held it above his head as a sign of victory. For the second time he had taken the powers from the Rangers. This time they would not get them back. Time was now on his side and that was all he needed.

* * *

When Tommy awoke Zordon asked him to join David and the others in the main chamber. As he entered the room Tommy was glad to see his team was still alive. The Rangers healing powers had taken care of the worst of their injuries. And with a little help from David and Alpha they had all regained consciousness.

Conspicuous by his absence was Sam. At first Tommy thought maybe the Green Ranger had left. Then, he noticed the blocked off area of the chamber where the medical table was located.

"Zordon, where is Sam?" Jason asked.

"Rangers, I have some bad news for all of you," Zordon said. "When you were teleported here Minion assaulted Sam and used him to gain control of the Zeo Crystal. He has since destroyed all the Zeo Zords with the exception of the Red Battlezord and has damaged the Zeo Crystal so it cannot be used."

"The good news," Zordon continued, "Is that Sam is going to be all right and that we have today gained a powerful and wise ally."

The blocked area of the chamber vanished, revealing Sam in his civilian clothes. By dropping his power he had allowed Zordon to discover his true identity, but at the same time had managed to conquer his fear of discovery.

"Sam Revilo, will you please reveal your true identity to the Rangers?" Zordon asked. If Sam refused then Zordon had no intention to tell them. He hoped that his reaction had helped.

Sam placed his hands over his face and slowly moved them around. As he did so the other Rangers gasped. Sam's face became that of Thomas Oliver when he had first arrived in Angel Grove.

"Hi," Sam said sheepishly, "Remember me?"

For a moment nobody said anything. Most of them were too shocked to say anything; Tanya just didn't understand what was happening. None of the Rangers had ever thought to fill her in on their history and although she knew Tommy had once been the Green Ranger she had never been made aware that he had a clone.

Finally, Tommy spoke. "How can you be here? I left you in 1795."

"More to the point," Adam stated, "I thought two Tommy Olivers in one time would damage the Morphin Grid."

"Look, I can't tell you everything about the time Collective, because I don't know everything," Sam said, returning to his usual look. "I do know I am the clone you left in Colonial Angel Grove, the same guy who helped when Minion took your powers last time. I stayed in the Eighteenth Century and lived there until the present. I don't think the timeline applies anymore."

"Indeed, since Sam has not returned to this time zone, but has instead lived for the last two hundred years the effects on the Morphin Grid no longer apply," Zordon explained.

"What about your disguise?" Rocky asked.

"I retained the magic from the Wizard of Deception's wand," Sam answered. "I am now one with the magic. I am literally the Green Ranger."

"Rangers, I am afraid there is nothing more you can do here," Zordon said. "I suggest you all go and try to get some rest. I have a feeling you will need you strength soon."

As he watched, the Rangers leave Zordon turned to his assistant. "Alpha Five, begin Plan B."

"Yes Zordon," Alpha said, hurrying to complete his task.

While Billy worked Zordon started to plan for what was to come. Minion had in the space of a day managed to hand the Rangers their first defeat. For some reason the new villain had not continued to attack, deciding to retreat. Zordon reached out with his mind, touching each of the Rangers. ~Rest my Rangers,~ he thought, ~I fear the worst is yet to come.~

* * *

With trembling hands Minion placed the Zeo Crystal in its new home. The charging sequence would take a matter of days and the latent heat generated would speed up the incubation period. After that he would have a force at his disposal, so destructive that neither the Rangers nor Dagsyxx would stand in his way.

**End **


	6. Powerless Rangers

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Powerless Rangers

Lord Zedd was not a happy villain. He had not conquered the Dark Galaxy by trusting his allies or allowing his inferiors to override his orders. He had been enjoying a tour of his personal domain with his wife and their entourage, when the bungling Rito had arrived with Finster in tow. From there his day had taken a turn for the worse.

"What are you two doing here?" he had snarled.

Rito had not been in a condition to answer, his body recovering from severe trauma. Finster had looked decidedly nervous.

"Forgive the intrusion Lord Zedd," the monster maker said after a while. "Minion ordered me to bring Rito here."

Zedd glowed red as he fumed at the audacity of Minion. He had left Finster there to ensure the recreated clone did not have any sudden bursts of independence.

Leaving the Earth before he was done conquering it had always been a risky decision. That was why he and Rita had been quick to return from their forced eviction b the Machine Empire. During their absence anybody could move in and take over.

"Rita, we are leaving," he announced. He turned to the Magistrate, the being he had charged with maintaining the Dark Galaxy in his absence. "Send word to Maxell that I want a meeting of the High Council of the Alliance and send Arcana to Earth with instructions to protect my interests; he is to offer assistance to Minion, unless there are signs of treachery. We will return to Earth after the meeting."

"Of course Lord Zedd," the Magistrate replied. "While you are gone, I will arrange for your army to ready itself."

Zedd nodded. Once he had conquered the Earth, his forces would exit the Dark Galaxy and secure the space between to two parts of his empire. Overnight his domain would increase. But first he needed to take care of that upstart Minion.

* * *

"Activating containment field," Tommy said.

The five former Zeo Rangers had gathered above the Power Chamber, in the room that once housed the Command Center. Although most of the Power Chamber was now below ground, Zordon and Billy had rebuilt the upper chamber soon after Gasket's Cyber Agent had infiltrated the computer core. Instead of a command area, Billy had adapted the room to serve as a combination of laboratory and repair bay.

Each Ranger was now seated at a console operating the controls as though they had been doing so their whole lives. On a raised pillar in the center of the room was a platform holding the Super Zeo Gems and their Zeonisers. Zordon had managed to find five golden coins that while not Power Coins were similar enough for to be of use.

Currently the large coins had been arranged below the platform and the Super Zeo Gems were floating above the Zeonisers. As Tommy started the containment field, the coins were pushed closer to the platform, a different coloured beam of energy emerging from each of them. As the beams of light struck the platform above the Zeonisers the Super Zeo Gems had started to glow. Waves of energy bathed the various materials causing them to move frantically.

"Energy structure complete," Adam reported from his position. "Morphing grids activated."

Every Ranger had a morphing grid, a field of energy generated by the Power Morpher or in this case, their Zeonisers. Physical matter was they affixed to the energy field, using the grid layout to aid positioning of uniforms, weapons and other items essential to a Ranger. Creating the energy grid was an important step towards their goal of replacing the Zeo powers.

"Begin Phase Two," Tommy instructed.

Kat started the power induction tools settled to one side of the Zeonisers. With small cameras positioned on the tip of each tool to guide her, Kat was able to manipulate the micro circuitry. By doing so she successfully retuned the devices so that the separate energy waves from the coins and the Super Zeo Gems were received and stored by the Zeoniser Crystals. From there the existing technology could be used to control the morphing sequence and regulate the power flow.

It was a delicate task since the Zeonisers had been set to work solely with the Zeo Crystal. Not only was Kat changing the source of the energy, she was increasing the number of sources. Luckily whatever she did to one Zeoniser was duplicated on the others.

"Phase Two complete," Kat said after what seemed like ages. "Ready for final power up."

"Okay, Rocky you start, Tanya you follow," Tommy said.

Both Rocky and Tanya nodded. Activating their consoles, they began to open the energy feeds for the Zeonisers, testing to ensure they were receiving power from both sources. Then they adjusted to flows to avoid overloading and loaded the template files. The Zeonisers glowed as they increased the power levels.

"Full power, now!" Tommy called.

Tanya and Rocky turned the controls up to maximum, channelling all available power into the morphing tools. This was the most important step, to ensure the devices were capable of dealing with the demands of powering up.

"Damn!" Tommy swore as one of the Zeoniser Crystals fractured, crumbling under the stress of opposing energy flows. "Shut everything down, we'll need to start from scratch."

"That might be a problem," Rocky said. The others followed his gazed to where the coins had fallen.

Tommy felt all his hopes fail when he saw the coins. The intense heat had caused them to distort, which in turn rendered them useless.

"Now what?" Tanya asked.

"Now we go and tell Zordon we've failed," Tommy told her. He bent down and picked up the remains of the coins. "Maybe he can find some more."

He gathered the Super Zeo Gems and gasped as a small shock passed through his body. For a moment the two sources of power were touching each other. Electricity started to arc from the gems to the coins and back again. This had caused Tommy to drop them and when he picked them up the second time he was more careful. Once all the coins were gathered and all the gems had been placed in their container the Rangers teleported away.

* * *

"Well?" Minion probed as Bronzo finished the latest of his tests.

"It won't work Lord Minion," the henchman answered. "Serpenterra cannot be powered directly from the Zeo Crystal. Its weapon systems - could be upgraded to use the crystal, but a direct feed for the drive system would be impossible."

"Suggestions?"

"Keep the power source and change the application," Bronzo answered. "Break the link between the Rangers and their powers; the crystal is still powering them even if they are unaware of it. Then find a way to transmit the energy to Serpenterra."

Minion considered the suggestion. During what many on Earth considered the second world war, the opposing sides had used RADAR as a weapon. While one side had used it for its most common application of detecting incoming aeroplanes, the other side had used it as a means of directing their air raids. In the same way the energy of the Zeo Crystal could be wielded directly or indirectly. Master Vile had used it directly when he had plugged it into the Ninja Zords' weapon systems; the Rangers had used it directly to negate the Orb of Doom's energies. Since then the Zeo Rangers had relied on an indirect application, the energy divided into a different wavelength for each Zeoniser.

Minion's plan had been to install the Zeo Crystal in Serpenterra, expecting the mighty machine to have enough power to destroy the Rangers, crush any resistance on Earth and then perhaps destroy the creature known as Dagsyxx; nobody forced Minion to work for them, not even an ancient entity with enough power to squash him like a bug.

Now that Bronzo had revealed that in addition to burning too much fuel to remain a realistic tool, Serpenterra was incapable of handling the energy the crystal could produce; the machine lacked a suitable reactor and failed to store and release energy in a way that would have compensated for its shortcomings.

That meant that he would have to use the crystal indirectly, which meant he would have to break the link between the Rangers and the crystal.

"Find a way to break the Rangers' link with the Zeo Crystal," he instructed.

"It might tak..."

"Devise a method and Minion will secure the means," he promised.

And while Bronzo was occupied with that task, he needed to ensure that the Zeo Rangers were destroyed once and for all. He had been tempted to send his WD Units back to Earth to finish the Rangers, but had dismissed that idea as premature. Despite defeating the Rangers and preventing support from Aquitar and Triforia, Minion had yet to deal with the other defenders of Earth; the Masked Rider, VR Troopers and Beetleborgs were all active in California. New York also had its own protectors.

In addition there were the Earth's armed forces to deal with. Minion had absolute faith in his creations, but did not want a long battle that might convince civilians to take up arms to defend themselves. His plans for Earth required the planet and its people to be taken alive. He planned to use the people of Earth as hosts for the creatures in the Dark Dimension, his own army of evil. He had even entertained the notion of converting the planet into a mobile space station, using the planet's natural magic to power it.

~First things first,~ he thought. Although the Zeo Rangers were powerless, they still posed a minor threat.

"Silvo," he called quietly. "Send a mixture of Tengas, Putties and Cogs back down to Angel Grove. They are to destroy the Power Rangers when they appear."

"Yes master," Silvo said, disappearing to carry out his task.

* * *

Tommy and the others arrived in the Power Chamber. Although they were no longer powered, Tommy had thought it best if they could find some sort of disguise to keep their identities secret. Soon al five Rangers were wearing some old spandex-based costumes Alpha had managed to make with the replicators in the Power Chamber. Alpha had also managed to scrounge some old helmets for the Rangers to wear.

"Now all we need are some weapons," Rocky said.

"I have something to help you there as well Rangers," Alpha said. Pressing a button on the console, he teleported the Rangers to a secret vault hidden deep beneath the Power Chamber.

"Oh man," Tommy said as he looked around. "I didn't realise we had such a large collection."

Around the room were all the weapons Billy had ever built but had never connected to the Rangers' powers. Tommy made his way over to the far corner where he discovered the first set of motorcycles Billy had attempted to build for the Might Morphin Power Rangers; there was one set intended for use during the time of the Dino Zords and another set that he assumed were for use when the power of Thunder had been used. Checking the power supply he found all five vehicles were in working order and capable of morphing into powerful weapons. They had obviously been one of Billy's projects during his time in the Power Chamber.

Rock and Adam meanwhile had managed to find some energy rifles. Each gun measured about ten inches and was grey in colour. Adam tested one of the guns and found it was self-aiming.

"Look at this," Rocky said, pointing to the small cartridges Billy had carefully labelled. "Fire, Freeze, Stun bolt, Exploding Shells, Laser and Gel. He didn't just make one gun, he made every type of rifle we'd ever need."

"Check this out," Adam said, pointing to the set of five devices Billy had placed next to them. "It says here these will act as a disruption field against Cogs. That might slow them for a bit."

"Guys!" Tanya shouted from the other side of the room. "I think I've found the heavy artillery."

The other Rangers found Tanya standing in a smaller vault marked 'DANGER'. On her right arm she had attached a Gatling gun. A metal casing surrounded her shoulder continuing as a metal sleeve down her arm. The cannon was mounted on the end and activated by a small trigger. The armour changed colour to blend in with her clothing.

Now armed with the weapons and bikes they had managed to find, and the personal weapons Tommy had discovered, the Rangers left to take on the Cogs, Putties and Tengas that Minion had sent to Earth.

* * *

In the Power Chamber Alpha 5 was in danger of burning out his circuitry due to stress. "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, they're gone!"

"What are gone?" Zordon asked, taking his attention off the Viewing Globe for a moment.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!"

"Alpha," Zordon said. He received no response and decided to take desperate action. "Alpha Five, if you do not calm down, I will arrange for Billy to give you a service."

"I'm sorry Zordon," Alpha said when he had finally calmed down. "The Super Zeo Gems and the coins we used in the experiment have vanished."

"Calm yourself," Zordon instructed. "The coins and Super Zeo Gems are fine, I have simply teleported them to my dimension."

"Sorry Zordon, I'm just so nervous. If the Rangers lost the Super Zeo Gems now that they no longer possess the Zeo Crystal..."

"That is indeed a disturbing thought Alpha. Luckily I believe I have found the solution to our earlier problems. Prepare the computer to resume the power up sequence."

* * *

"Okay Rangers, divide and conquer," Tommy ordered.

After teleporting to a spot just outside of Angel Grove Park the Rangers had summoned their bikes. Thanks to Billy's design the bikes had adapted for their new users. The vehicles, which the teens had simply named Attack Cycles were now colour coded for each Ranger. The Green, Blue, Pink and Yellow Attack Cycles were all based on a motorbike and sidecar design. The Red Attack Cycle resembled a cross between the Shark Cycles and Zeo Cycles.

"Power them up," Tommy instructed. Flicking the power controls on his bike he crossed his fingers and hoped the portable power cells they had found would last for a while.

"Tommy, they're spreading out," Tanya warned.

Tommy checked his scanners and saw that whilst the Tengas had remained in the park, the Putties were heading towards the Youth Center and the Cogs were spreading out through the rest of the city.

"I'll take care of the birds," Kat said. Before anyone could argue, she had already started to drive off.

"Okay, Rocky and Tanya take the Cogs, Adam and I'll deal with the Putties and then catch you up."

"Right," the other Rangers called as the set off on their mission to protect Angel Grove. Tommy started his weapon systems before taking off after Adam.

* * *

Kat angled her Attack Cycle and rammed into the flock of Tengas. As expected most of them flew clear of the bike, but a few tried to slow her and were torn to shreds by the powerful wheels. Turning the bike to make a second pass, Kat realised that she would not be able to make contact with the Tengas since they had remained in the air.

Drawing her hand blaster Kat loaded a Fire Pack, took aim and fired. With the nearest Tenga acting as the target, the blaster adjusted its power level to ensure that as the beam hit the bird it exploded into flames. The odour of burnt feathers filled the air as the Tenga struggle to remain airborne, setting fire to its neighbours as well.

"Get her!" the leader called.

As the Tengas swooped towards her Kat changed the blaster's power pack to Ice. Instead of aiming directly for the birds, she fired at the ground in front of her. As the Tengas landed, they found themselves frozen in place. Kat fired another shot to freeze the birds, then threw a stone at the ice statues. The statues cracked and crumbled into tiny pieces of ice.

"Oh great," Kat said to herself as more Tengas appeared.

* * *

Using their increased speed Tommy and Adam made it to the Youth Center before the army of Putties. As they waited Tommy called for Ernie to evacuate everybody from the front of the Youth Center. Ernie did not need to be told twice and soon there were no civilians in the area.

As the Putties drew nearer Adam activated his bike's special features. The connecting bars between the bike and sidecar extended outwards, pushing the sidecar away from the bike. Adam shifted position to sit upright as the sidecar was raised off the ground, the bottom opening and remoulding to extend the sides. Eventually the sidecar was positioned over the bike and rider.

Luckily for Adam the whole conversion process was balanced to ensure the bike did not tip over. When he was certain the sidecar was in the correct position, he pressed the button on his handlebars. The shell of the sidecar dropped onto the bike, locking itself into position. The wheel that had been used to support the sidecar dropped next to the bike's own wheel. With a series of clicks the wheels were joined by an axle and moved outwards to provide extra support for the increased weight.

Finally a set of laser cannons emerged from the machines sides. At the front a triple barrelled rocket launcher appeared. A protective screen covered the newly formed cockpit.

"Let's see them deal with this," Adam said.

"Not bad," Tommy said, taking a moment to admire Billy's handiwork. "Watch this," he told Adam as he activated his own weapons.

Channelling the power of the Morphin Grid, Tommy's bike started its own transformation. The wheels duplicated themselves and extended away from the bike. The headlight transformed into a single cannon. Tommy felt his legs being drawn back behind him as steel panels formed around them. The front windscreen extended to protect Tommy from any forward attack. The wheels started to spin at speeds impossible for an ordinary bike.

With the front wheels spinning forward and the rear wheel spinning in reverse, the bike started to lift off the ground. When it was floating six inches off the ground Tommy flicked a switch and the wheels dropped from vertical to horizontal positions. Miniature thrusters mounted under each of the wheels activated to keep the bike hovering. Finally a set of heavy weapons attached themselves to the bike and a pair of thrusters appeared on the back of the bike.

"Here they come," Adam called.

"Let's get them," Tommy responded.

Together the two Rangers charged the Putties. While Adam drove into the Putties, Tommy used his thrusters to knock the Putties over. Within a few minutes they had managed to get all the Putties into a state where they could no longer stand upright.

"Particle Stream, fire!" Tommy called.

A thick beam of light erupted from the nose cannon. Flicking several buttons Tommy fired his side cannons as well. The Putties in front of him were soon reduced dust.

"Triple Shock!" Adam cried.

The three-barrelled rocket launcher fired, dispersing its shells over a wide area. The Putties decided they had had enough and ran away. Adam turned to see Tommy beating the remaining Putties on foot. He was using a hollow red staff Adam assumed he had found in Billy's vault.

"Siek-yah!" Tommy shouted as he decapitated the last Putty and remounted his bike. "We'd better find the others."

* * *

"They're spreading out," Tanya said as she studied the Cogs on her radar. "Rocky, we need to keep them inside their current grid or we won't be able to take them."

"Why don't you take the perimeter and I'll pick them off from inside?" Rocky suggested knowing Tanya had the faster bike.

"Okay, but be careful," Tanya warned. "We don't have our powers to protect us anymore."

"Hey, it's me," Rocky replied with a grin.

"Exactly," Tanya muttered. Out loud she called, "Weapons, now!"

The bike and sidecar separated, the sidecar splitting into parts. The bike's stand lowered to stabilise Tanya as the bike morphed. The rear wheel of the bike detached while at the same time joining with parts of the sidecar to form a rotor blade. The sidecar wheel transformed into a smaller rotor and attached itself to the rear of the bike by means of an extended axle. The larger rotor attached itself to the front of the sidecar. The front, back and sides of sidecar then formed over the bike while the base of the sidecar split in half and formed two skies. When the transformation was finished, Tanya was sitting in a miniature helicopter.

Next a cannon attached itself to each ski and a smaller rifle appeared on the end of each handlebar. The Gatling cannon Tanya had found earlier attached itself to her shoulder ready for action. Starting the rotors, she raced off to prevent the Cogs from spreading out.

Rocky didn't bother activating his weapons. Instead he headed towards the point from which the Cogs were spreading out. As he went, he stopped every so often to place a small device. If his plan worked and Billy had been right he hoped to be able to shut down the Cogs without too much fighting. The idea of being without his powers was scary, but Rocky had vowed to defend his planet and that was an oath he took seriously.

* * *

"Weapons mode, now!" Rocky called as he finally caught up with the Cogs.

At his command the bike and sidecar separated. Time seemed to move slowly as Rocky was thrown into the air, his arms and legs spread. The bike and sidecar broke into smaller parts, the three wheels forming a base and locking onto his feet. The armour from the vehicle attached itself to Rocky's body encasing him in a solid shell. A double-barrelled cannon formed on his chest, a pair of rocket launchers attached to each shoulder and a pulse rifle formed on each arm.

Rocky tried his new mode out and discovered it was surprisingly versatile. Apart from his feet he was able to move without restriction from his armour.

With a thought Rocky activated the devices he had placed. The Cogs froze as the devices transmitted a shutdown command. With the Cogs disable Rocky chose his targets and fired. Soon a pile of scrap metal surrounded him.

A small flashing light showed more Cogs moving in from behind. Turning to face the new threat Rocky released a barrage of blasts from his pulse rifles.

"Fire One!" he ordered.

The rocket launcher on his right shoulder locked onto the center of the Cogs. The rocket struck its target, throwing the inoperative Cogs to the ground.

"Time to help Tanya," Rocky said to himself as his wheels carried him towards his fellow Ranger.

* * *

"Don't you guys know when to quit?" Kat asked as she blasted another Tenga.

Kat was fighting a losing battle and she knew it. Every time she defeated one Tenga, several more appeared. She pulled the trigger again and sighed as she realised the power pack was empty once again.

"Damn!" she swore, smashing the now useless weapon into the nearest Tenga. Without her powers she knew she could not fight unarmed for too long. "Weapons mode, now!"

Kat felt herself teleported into her sidecar. A glass screen closed over her forming a cockpit. As the screens inside came to life Kat saw the twin cannons emerge from under her sidecar and at the same time small wings spread on either side.

"Launch!" she ordered.

The rocket like craft was launched into the air, allowing Kat to match speed with the Tengas. One by one she targeted the Tengas and one by one the Tengas were reduced to a pile of feathers.

* * *

"No!" Minion shouted. "This cannot happen. They are unpowered; how can they be winning?"

He looked down at the battlefield below. Somehow the Rangers had found some new toys. He had no doubt they were Billy's designs. For a brief moment he considered sending some WD Units down to fight, but decided his henchmen could use a workout instead.

"Silvo, Brasso, come here!"

"Yes master?" both servants asked as they bowed before their creator.

"The Rangers have managed to destroy our troops. Go down there, destroy their toys and then finish them!"

"Yes master," the two henchmen said as they headed for Angel Grove.

* * *

"We did it!" Rocky said excitedly as the Rangers regrouped in the park.

"Yeah," Tommy said. "Good job guys."

After mopping up the remaining foot soldiers the Rangers had ensured the city was safe before heading back to the source of the disturbance.

"You know if this was Rita and Zedd or Mondo, he would be sending a monster about now," Rocky said.

No sooner had he spoken, then Silvo and Brasso appeared in front of them. "You had to say it didn't you," Tanya muttered.

"This is going to be fun," Brasso proclaimed as he turned his attention to the nearest Ranger. He charged at Tanya, grabbing her helicopter by the skies, preventing her from getting away. While he held the vehicle, Silvo struck it with his fist. Between them they tore the vehicle apart.

"Get away from her!" Rocky shouted. He unleashed the whole power of his weapons, causing Silvo to release Tanya.

Silvo responded by charging at Rocky, lifting him above his head and power slamming him to the ground. From nowhere a silver sword appeared in his hands and he started to try to slice and dice the former Zeo Ranger. He was stopped when Kat slammed her vehicle into his legs.

Brasso meanwhile had managed to cripple Adam by breaking off his front wheel. Tommy tried to use his thrusters to force Brasso to move, but only succeeded in making the henchman mad. Twisting around Brasso threw Tommy to the ground. His bike lost power as Brasso drove his foot into the side.

"Regroup," Tommy called.

The Rangers abandoned their weapon systems and gathered a short distance away. Tanya handed her blaster to Kat as the Gatling cannon once again appeared on her arm.

"Fire!" Tommy ordered.

The weapons were powerful, but had been designed to work with powered Rangers; not humans dressed to look like Rangers. As a result the only effect the blasters had on Silvo and Brasso was to make them laugh.

"You want fire?" Silvo asked. "Try this."

Lasers shot from Brasso's eyes, hitting the ground where the Rangers were standing. He watched with satisfaction as the Rangers were thrown into the air.

Tommy landed hard, rolling to reduce the impact. His first instinct was to get back to his feet, but instead he took a moment to find out where he was in relation to the others. Rocky and Adam were lying next to each other barely moving. Kat and Tanya were some distance away, neither attracting the henchmen's attention.

"Now we finish this," Tommy heard Silvo say. He looked up in time to see the edge of Silvo's sword pointed at his neck.

* * *

"Time to die little powerless Ranger," Silvo sneered.

Without further conversation both henchmen raised their swords and prepared to carry out an old-fashioned execution. Tommy looked up as he saw the henchmen about to sacrifice him. The blow never landed though as Silvo and Brasso stumbled forward as something struck the backs of their necks. For a moment they forgot about Tommy and turned to face the Ranger who had dared to strike them. In a flash of green the Green Ranger's Power Sword connected with them a second time. Sam wielded his weapon with skills developed over years of training.

Going low he used the hilt to strike Brasso in the face before swivelling to kick Silvo in the chest. "Fireball!" he called.

An orb of green fire exploded from his hands, striking both henchmen at close range. Silvo and Brasso decided they had had enough and retreated back to the Moon, leaving Sam to deal with the injured Rangers.

* * *

A few minutes later the Rangers were back in the Power Chamber. Zordon and Alpha had retrieved the remains of their weapon systems and vehicles, but the majority was beyond repair.

"At least we beat them off for now," Rocky said.

"Until the next time," Tommy pointed out. He turned to look at his rescuer. "Thanks," he said.

"Rangers, once again you have proven why I was correct in selecting you. You have fought without your powers and defeated Minion's forces. In addition, I have some good news for you."

The Rangers were all ears.

* * *

"Forgive us master," Silvo said as he and Brasso kneeled before Minion. "We have failed you."

"Indeed, you have performed at less than optimal capacity. However, the intervention of the Green Ranger was an inconvenient and unforeseen occurrence. Under the circumstances, Minion forgives you."

~What am I saying?~ Minion wondered. ~I am not Billy. I am Minion, soon to be ruler of the Universe. I AM IN CONTROL.~

Finally certain he was back to normal Minion returned to henchmen.

Bronzo had found a way to break the link between the Zeo Crystal and the Zeonisers. It would take a great deal of energy to accomplish such a task. Luckily the Earth provided for his needs; the planet was crisscrossed by lines of the extra-dimensional energy that could sometimes be recognised as magic. On any other planet these lines would have bled into reality, but the Earth was also blessed with an overabundance of Iron, a material that could block magic. As such, the Earth was lacking in extra-universal energy except for places where two or more lines of energy crossed, creating a nexus point. These points were known to contain vast amounts of energy, energy he could use for his own purposes.

But where to strike? California was an obvious target since it housed several nexus points and the Angel Grove nexus, a very special point of energy. Angel Grove was unique because its nexus point was crossed by the lines of energy that led to all other points of power in California. In effect Angel Grove was more of a central hub in a vast network of energy conduits. Mariner Bay in the southern part of the state and Blue Bay Harbour were slightly smaller but each held a link to the Realm of Hell. Reefside, Charterville, Urbana City, Crossworld City, Leewood, and even the small town of North Valley were just some of the major focal points in the area. There were other less defined areas such as Sunny Dale that made California an attractive target. Unfortunately with so many points of natural energy gathered in such a small area, heroes had a way of emerging when least expected. Minion did not wish to exert more magic than he had to for this task, so for now California was out of the running.

The same could be said for other sites within the United States. New York, Carolina and Washington State along with Indiana, Idaho, Ohio and Seattle were all potential locations for his plans. In fact the United States as a whole was just a list of possible targets. Unfortunately they were all too close to the Power Rangers for his tastes. Somewhere overseas would serve him better.

Possible countries flickered through his mind. He was no expert on the lines of natural energy that crisscrossed the Earth. He didn't know all of the nexus points although he had studied those in America to assist his invasion plans. He used Zordon's satellites to zero in on sites in Africa, Egypt, France, China and Japan. He chose Stone Henge in England because of the monument's history as a place of ceremony. Other sites would follow once he decided where to attack.

"Minion has another task for you two on Earth," he said. He pointed to the target and simply added, "Go!"

With his henchmen out of the way Minion took the time to reassess his position. The Rangers were defeated, he was sure of that. And despite their best efforts they had only succeeded in defeating a mixture of second-rate foot soldiers and causing his henchmen to retreat. With Silvo and Brasso in the process of securing him a position on Earth he would soon be able to energise Serpenterra. And then, Minion knew it was a question of time.

~Next time, I'll send down some monsters and trash that city.~ His eyes glowed brightly as he considered all the things he intended to do to those Rangers before he killed them.

* * *

For once the entire Youth Center was silent. Throughout the world people had tuned into their local news. Tommy and the Rangers watched as Cassidy Cornell delivered her report.

_"And this is the scene from Angel Grove just hours ago. The world owes a great debt to Angel Grove's heroes, one we can never repay. This is Cassi..." _

The news report was over cut by another broadcast. The two pictures merged with each other to be replaced by a black masked figure. "This world belongs to Minion now. Surrender or the planet shall die at Minion's hand."

~This guy is bad,~ Tommy thought. ~I just hope we're up to the task.~

~So do I Tommy,~ Zordon thought, picking up on Tommy's thoughts. ~So do I.~

**End **


	7. The Power Rangers Fight Back

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

The Power Rangers Fight Back

They arrived together, the dark machine and the silver haired wizard. One called himself Arcana and claimed to be a powerful spell weaver in the service of Lord Zedd, sent on his behalf to ensure that Minion did not claim Earth for himself. The other was a large machine sent by an incomplete Mondo to ensure his interests were protected.

Both had been instructed to render assistance in conquering the Earth, both viewed the other with contempt. For now they had the same purpose and Minion though annoyed by their presence was convinced not to destroy them on the spot.

Arcana with his knowledge of magic would prove useful for some of his project; the Machine Empire's contribution was even more valuable. Minion bid them welcome and allowed them to remain as observers. He intended to prove to them and through them their masters that the situation was under control and that Minion was in charge.

* * *

"Alpha, are you ready to continue?" Zordon asked.

"Yes Zordon," Alpha replied. "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, this is so exciting."

Zordon merely nodded and began the complicated task he knew would help the Rangers in the future. Slowly, system-by-system the Power Chamber shutdown, leaving only the monster alarm activated. Zordon considered switching that off as well, knowing what he proposed would require a vast amount of power. The fact Minion was still on the offensive made him leave the system on just in case.

"Alpha, teleport now," Zordon instructed. Alpha did so, pressing the 'ENGAGE' button on the console before he left. Zordon's tube dimmed and then disappeared, leaving only the computer to carry out its new function.

* * *

"Hi-YAH!" Jason cried out, kicking the bag as hard as he could.

Adam was lifted off his feet with the force the one time Gold Ranger applied. ~I'd hate to be the punch bag,~ he thought, adjusting his stance to cushion the continuous impacts. As he allowed his friend to work off his frustration, he glanced around the room, taking note of how his fellow Rangers were performing. Tanya was practicing martial arts with Rocky. He smiled, his best friend was a much better teacher than he gave himself credit for and Tanya's aptitude improved with each session. Kat was stretching over by the balance beams.

Jason stopped his workout and sighed. Tommy was doing it again. He sat on a stool in front of the bar, staring into oblivion. He had been like that almost all the time, waiting for Minion to strike again, worrying about whether or not their powers would be up to the task of stopping him.

After their most recent battle where they had proven capable of stopping Tengas, Putties and Cogs only to have their machines destroyed by Silvo and Brasso, the Rangers had thrown themselves into a full time training regime. Their parents had noticed and complained about their failure to return home over the last week. Rocky especially was having a hard time with his mother, without him to help her, she had been forced to deal with the other children alone. They were ready as they could be, should Minion or his WD Units show up again.

Looking at Tommy, Jason imagined this must have been what it was like for soldiers who had suffered shell shock. Minion and his forces had proven that the Rangers did not have the means to battle them. Minion had taken the Zeo Crystal with ease and had delighted as he had destroyed the Zeo Zords. The Rangers still had their powers for some reason, but they dare not use them in case it was a trick by Minion.

It was like everything the Rangers had ever faced until now paled in comparison even though in his heart Jason knew that Minion was no worse than Rita, Zedd or Mondo. The difference was that Minion had managed to string his victories together, making them seem more impressive than they actually were.

The last attack had been three days ago, it seemed much longer. It seemed odd, the Rangers had thought that the villain would have pushed the advantage, but Minion had just backed off as if waiting for them to recover. ~Or perhaps allow us to fret about when the next attack will come.~

And so they practiced, unsure of when the next attack would come, unable to overcome the advantage their foe wielded with such expertise. Never, before had the Rangers pushed themselves so hard, trying desperately to strengthen themselves as much as they could in the time they had left. They had to resign themselves to the knowledge there would be no further improvement though, they could only train and wait for the next attack.

* * *

White light once again filled the inside on the mountain, not only the Power Chamber, but deep into its core. Above the chamber the light filled the remains of the Command Center, which Billy had taken the opportunity to redesign after Cyber Agent's intrusion. Everything vanished, removed by magic as the entire mountain was moved into another dimension. Inside the other dimension the mountain was reformatted, hollowed out by Zordon's power.

Seconds later it was returned to its previous location outside Angel Grove. Now completely restructured throughout, the important and most vulnerable areas of the Rangers' operation center spaced within the mined areas. For Zordon and Alpha this was the second change in less than a year. A new view screen took pride of place, surrounded by smaller screens that allowed him to monitor multiple events. New rooms were added to extend the simple arsenal, workshop, Zord Bay, Gymnasium and Simudeck Zordon had created during a previous build. For the first time the full facilities of the medical room were activated, just in case the Rangers were injured in their future battles.

The Power Chamber itself had been elevated to a point just below the citadel, allowing the Rangers access from outside. Zordon had removed the old costumes that symbolised the old Morphin Rangers. In their place were a series of coloured tubes.

"Alpha, summon the Rangers and teleport them to the briefing room."

Alpha did as Zordon commanded, working his way around the new consoles. There were eleven workstations in all. Each was coloured to allow different Rangers access. To make things easier for Alpha, Zordon had given the little android a new method of programming the computers. He could now interface directly using the transmitter in his cranial unit.

"They're on their way Zordon," Alpha said as he teleported to the new briefing room with Zordon.

* * *

In seven beams of light, the five former Zeo Rangers, the current Green Ranger and Jason, himself a former Gold Ranger, appeared in the Briefing Room. They found themselves sat behind a big table equipped with computers, monitors and hologram display units. At the end of the table was an empty tube. Zordon smiled as his face appeared.

"Welcome Rangers to Power Mountain," Zordon said. "Alpha and I decided it was time to update the Power Chamber and at the same time provide an area where we can discuss the recent events. As you know, Minion has been successful where Rita, Zedd, Vile, Mondo and Prince all failed. He has stolen the Zeo Crystal and rendered the Zords useless."

"I don't understand why he hasn't finished us," Tommy said. "He has access to foot soldiers that were able to beat us and a henchman who would have destroyed Sam had he wanted to. Yet he sends Tengas and Putties after us."

"Then to make it worse he retreats again and again," Adam added.

"I cannot pretend to understand Minion's tactics," Zordon admitted.

"Then maybe we should concentrate on something we can understand," Tommy replied. "Like how we're supposed to fight him without our powers."

"Silvo and Brasso destroyed the Battle Bikes," Kat pointed out.

"Alpha and I have been working on this problem," Zordon assured them. "In the past the Rangers of Earth have used the power of the Morphin Grid and the power of the Zeo Crystal. Now in our time of need we must unify the remnants of your previous powers to create new powers. Behold, the Gem Coin transformers."

"You've got to be kidding me," Tanya commented as the schematics appeared along with the list of artefacts they intended to use to power the Rangers.

"Not at all," Zordon assured her. "When Minion captured the Zeo Crystal, he overlooked the existing connection between the crystal and your powers. Since he has yet to sever the link, we have been able to store some of the energy for future use. Unfortunately should Minion decide to use the crystal, he will disrupt the connection. We do not have enough energy yet to maintain your powers for long periods."

"The computer and the Power Chamber's generators will play the most important part in this task," Alpha explained. "Zordon has activated the secret chamber where we created the White Ranger."

"Alpha has already connected your Zeoniser Crystals to the Power Chamber's generators. It is my hope we can continue to draw energy for some time before Minion discovers and breaks the link." As he spoke, the Rangers were shown images of a complex device on top of the generator. "We will be using as many sources of energy as possible," Zordon explained, "the Power Crystals used to empower the Dino Zords, the Super Zeo Gems and the residual energies from the Zeo Battle Helmets have been connected. But it will not be enough."

Tommy nodded, remembering the occasions when Zordon would boost his failing powers. The energy would not last for long without a constant and renewable source. Science would not be able to keep up with the task. They needed magic.

"How about the Sword of Light?" Adam asked.

"And the Sword of Power," Jason added.

"Indeed, these and many other sources of Morphin and Zeo energy will be combined. Together they will power the Gem Coin transformers," Zordon boomed. "Alpha and I manufactured them from a set of gold medals, similar to the Power Coins of old and a set of magical crystals we were able to locate."

"Will it work?" Sam asked sceptically. Combining magic and technology was a difficult task.

"I am uncertain," Zordon confessed.

"Gem Coin technology requires a fusion of magic and technology," Alpha explained. "There are so many things that can go wrong."

"Indeed," Zordon agreed. "Once the power we are able to draw from the Zeo Crystal is exhausted, the Gem Coins will prove useless unless we can find an alternate energy source."

"How about Auric's key?" Jason asked. "We can use it to power the generator unless we need Auric's assistance."

Sam sighed. He knew what Zordon wanted; he knew that Tommy had probably seen through the thinly disguised hints. If he agreed the Rangers would have enough power, but Zordon would regain control of an artefact Sam considered too important to remain in his hands.

"Very well Zordon," he said grudgingly. He had not quite forgiven the White

Master for manipulating his dreams. He produced the Wizard of Deception's wand and offered it to Alpha.

"Thank you, Samoht." Zordon's voice was quiet, he sounded respectful, not victorious. "Using the wand, we will be able to guarantee a constant power supply."

"Let's get on with this," Sam said. "We have work to do."

* * *

"Zordon is a powerful wizard and a fine mentor," Minion said, he was speaking to himself. "But he is a fool if he believes that Minion is unaware of the Rangers' activities. Minion can predict their every move. Right now they will be attempting to contact Ninjor in the hope of retrieving their Ninja Ranger powers. But that won't work, Minion is more powerful that a mere

Grid Master. A small group of Rangers have no chance."

He noted the look of awe on Arcana's face. The silver haired spell weaver had been sent to spy on him and had not expected Minion to be so forthcoming. Now after spending time in his presence, he realised that Minion just liked the sound of his own voice.

The Machine Empire's representative had not spoken since his arrival apart from briefly handing Minion a digital message. He watched everything, but had yet to intervene, the only thing that had caused a reaction was when Arcana had made a derogatory remark towards Mondo; it seemed this model was devoted to his king.

Evidently Mondo and Zedd were under the impression that Minion worked for them. Once he conquered the planet, they would fight it out to decide who would rule it. Minion was already working on a way to ensure that would not happen.

"Perhaps it is time to move on," he said calmly as his eyes glowed in anticipation. The Rangers would soon be removed from the picture and then he could have some real fun. "Would you do the honours Arcana, Minion desires a monster that you should be familiar with?"

The spell weaver produced a thick length of wood that he affectionately called a wand. It was a crude piece of workmanship that looked as twisted as Lord Zedd himself.

"I will require the raw material," he said.

Minion nodded absently and handed a piece of metal to the silent machine. "If you please."

There was a crunching noise as the machine crafted a roughly shaped blade that Arcana could use to call forth a monster.

The spell weaver cackled as he lifted his wand, a thick piece of unshaped tree trunk. He pointed it at the Earth and was delighted to see the sword appear in Angel Grove Park.

"Moon of ivory, stars of old,

candlelight that's spun of gold..."

Clouds gathered overhead and the wind seemed to pick up.

"...sky of fire, wind of fright,

bring to me a Nasty Knight!"

Red lightning streaked through the air and hit a tree next to the sword. As the wood shattered the Nasty Knight was returned to life.

"Perfect," Minion said. "Now the fun can begin."

* * *

"Feel the Power as it surrounds you," Zordon told them, "draw it into your bodies and trace its path as you look within to find your spiritual link to the Morphin Grid. Tommy, Rocky and Adam, you have done this before. Look into your hearts and reconnect yourselves with the power of the Grid. Katherine this will be the first time you have reached out without Kimberly influence. And Tanya, I know this will be difficult since you have never felt the Power before, but trust your feelings and I am certain you will find your connection."

It was a rushed, foolhardy way to seek out the connection to the Morphin Grid and if Zordon had had more time, he would have sought an alternative. Ideally he should have sent them to one of the many temples throughout the Universe with masters capable of aiding their spiritual growth. He promised himself that once Minion was disposed of he would see to it that they received the training they deserved.

"Take the Gem Coin transformers and merge your spiritual energies with their powers," he instructed, sensing his students as they obeyed him. "Today will mark a momentous occasion Rangers, for the first time the powers of pure Grid magic and Zeo technology come together to create the Gem Coin powers."

"But you must be careful," Alpha warned, "the two power sources were never intended to mix in this way."

"Alpha is correct. I am afraid a great deal of the energy transferred to your Gem Coins will be lost maintaining the transformation. This will mean that you may actually end up weaker than using the Zeo powers."

"We'll have to risk it if it means the chance to bring Minion down," Tommy said. The Zeo Rangers heartily agreed.

"How do we do this anyway?" Rocky asked and the Rangers realised for the first time that their knowledge was not instinctive.

"First you must initiate your links to the Morphin Grid," Zordon told them. "They will aid the process."

The Rangers did as they were bid, using their residual or in one case never used powers. Although there was no real transformation, a faint aura could be seen around them as they embraced their powers.

"Tommy, don't do that!" Rocky complained as Tommy's aura flared with angry streaks of green and white. The Blue Zeo looked like he'd just had a heart attack.

"Yeah, I nearly wet my knickers!" Kat glared at her sometimes boyfriend, ignoring the mild snickering her words produced. Tommy had the decency to look sheepish.

"So did I." Alpha quipped. "And I'm a robot." That got a chuckle from everyone.

"Rangers." Zordon said simply. Tommy watched as they began again, admiring the results. Rocky's aura was red, Adam's was a calm mixture of black and yellow that resembled the pattern of a wasp; Kat's aura was mellow pink and Tanya's was a fiery yellow.

The alarms sounded throughout the Power Chamber, exactly on cue. On the Viewing Globe an image appeared of the Nasty Knight surrounded by Putties.

"Looks like Minion has decided to strike again," Adam said.

"We need to hurry this up," Tommy said. "What's next Zordon?"

"Alpha, activate the generator and redirect the energy to the Gem Coins," Zordon ordered.

The Power Chamber vibrated as the volatile mixture took place. The generators that were acting as conduits groaned with the increased strain as Alpha worked feverishly to prevent an overload.

Finally after minutes of nervous waiting the vibrations stopped and the noise was reduced to a faint hum. The smell of burnt ozone filled the Power Chamber.

"Now I guess we get to find out if these powers work," Adam said without enthusiasm.

"Wait!" Alpha cried. "Before you morph, you must use these."

He handed each of them a dermal patch, which he would later explain would feed into their nervous system to allow the computer to send them what in the past had been an instinctive knowledge.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy called.

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!" Kat called

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!" Tanya cried.

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!" Rocky yelled.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!" Adam called.

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!" Tommy finished.

The combination of the two power sources had a strange effect on the Rangers' appearance. At first they were dressed in white, then slowly their Ranger colours appeared over the top. Soon they were fully morphed. They wore their Ranger colours with white gloves and boots with bands around their upper legs, arms and chest; the tops of their gloves and boots were silver and they wore a white belt complete with holster. On their white chests they each wore a small golden coin along with the thin wires that controlled the energy flow throughout their costumes.

For a moment there was some disorientation as they came to understand the changes to their powers. Then, they teleported away, leaving behind a worried mentor, who was distracted by the ramblings of a distraught Alpha Unit.

"Alpha, what is the problem?" Zordon asked.

"Ai-yi-yi, I can't help feeling that this is the beginning of the end for the power of Zeo."

Zordon could not reply to that. In one way the android's fears were well founded since Zordon was starting to consider that the Zeo technology had been compromised. Unknown to the Rangers, their mentor was seeking alternative powers, but had so far come up empty handed. Instead he watched as his Rangers teleported away, hoping the adjustments to their powers would be enough.

* * *

The Nasty Knight had teleported to an abandoned quarry outside of Angel Grove and was waiting. Some monsters would have started on a rampage, but the Nasty Knight was experienced enough to realise that just appearing would be enough. Once he had started to pose a threat to by blasting a few storage sheds he was content to await their arrival.

When they finally showed up, the Nasty Knight was disappointed to discover these were not the same Rangers he had faced before. Nor did the match the Zeo Rangers he knew Rita and Zedd were fighting. Squatt had been kind enough to keep him up to date on the enemy, but obviously the henchman was as incompetent as always.

For a while the Rangers were able to take advantage of the confusion and land some of their hits. The sudden change from sword and pistol to a simplified Blade Blaster shook them at first, but they quickly saw the advantage of having a multipurpose weapon. After a few minutes the Knight tried his old trick of destroying their weapons. The Rangers had a fall back plan and after summoning a large black shield to protect them, the called for their Zeo Power Weapons.

Except their Zeo Power Weapons were not there. Instead each found they were holding a coloured staff. As the Knight charged instinct took over and they fought back as if they had held the weapons for years instead of minutes. At one point the staffs touched and combined with the shield to form a weapon. They aimed it at the Knight and watched him fall.

* * *

"The Rangers have new powers," Minion said simply as the Nasty Knight fell.

"It was to be expected, Tommy never did know when to quit."

He moved over to the side of the throne room, revealing a metal sarcophagus. He ran his hand over the plating, allowing some of his power to seep through the seals as he did so.

"This is one of Bronzo's creations, the Monster Reconstitution Capsule," he explained to Zedd and Mondo's representatives. "A little magic and a memory of a monster... and voila, one regenerated monster freshly plucked from the Dark Dimension."

He opened the chamber and the monster walked out.

"Once he was Silverhorns, although I think Siphon suits him better," Minion explained to his audience. "Go to Earth, draw out the Rangers and fight them."

The monster enthusiastically obeyed.

* * *

"Aw man, can't we take a break?" Tommy complained.

"Computer says it's called Siphon," Tanya reported.

"Looks more like Silverhorns," Adam commented.

"Or Repellator," Rocky added.

"If it is based upon the Silverhorns monster, it's capable of stealing energy from virtually any source and then firing it back," Zordon warned.

"Can it steal energy from the Gem Coins?" Tommy asked urgently.

"We do not know at this point in time," Adam answered.

"Aye-yi-yi! Be careful Rangers!" Alpha cried.

"What if we need to call our Zords?" Katherine asked.

"There are no Zords," Zordon replied. "Try to end the battle before you need the Zords."

"Right," Tommy said. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

The five Rangers teleported out of the Power Chamber.

" Alpha, how long will it take to recreate the Zeo Zords?" Zordon asked.

The small android gave an answer from where he was accessing the computer console.

"That is too long," Zordon declared. "We must begin looking for alternatives."

"Right Zordon!" Alpha said. "I just don't know what to do."

"Stay calm Alpha, panicking will not help the Rangers," Zordon said. "Perhaps you and Jason should look in the storage bay and see if there is anything we can use. Sam should remain here, as the only Ranger with a Zord, he is the Earth's only hope should Minion decide to make his monster grow."

During a fit of jealousy, Prince Gasket had created his own fleet of monstrous machines based on the Zords of the past. The Rangers had successfully defeated the duplicates and the remains had been captured to prevent Gasket repeating the exercise. Unfortunately the Rangers had yet to ensure that all of Gasket's programming had been removed. As such, the machines were deemed unsafe.

"Aye-yi-yi, Zordon," Alpha muttered. "I hope we can find something."

As he left, Sam was watching the battle. Unlike the first fight, this did not seem to be going well.

* * *

"Now that's one UGLY tick," Tanya remarked upon seeing the Siphon.

"Angel Grove Park, a monster attack... makes perfect sense," Rocky quipped.

"Who are you calling ugly?" Siphon growled. It pointed a clawed hand at Katherine. Pink energy suddenly jumped the gap between them. Kat groaned in pain until Tanya physically removed her from the monster's sight using a shoulder block. Siphon shifted his aim, striking the Yellow Ranger in the back. Tanya's body was lifted off of the ground, her arms and legs dangling freely.

"Tanya!" Kat cried. She pulled her Blade Blaster from her holster. "Let her go!"

She fired her weapon and the blaster fire of the other Rangers soon joined the single pink beam.

"Fire again," Kat urged.

"Right!" Tommy, Adam and Rocky shouted in unison. The Red, Green, and Blue Rangers took aim and fired, this time pinpointing their attacks so they connected at the same location.

Siphon sent a powerful yellow blast at Tanya. The connection was broken, and she was thrown backwards. "And now for the rest of you," he growled. The four beams that were striking the beast from the Blade Blasters suddenly backfired. All four weapons exploded in their hands, knocking them a few feet backwards.

"Are you okay Tanya?" Adam asked, hurrying over to his girlfriend's side.

"I think so," she moaned.

"Blade Blasters are powered back up," Tommy said.

"Yeah and we all saw how well they worked last time," Rocky said sarcastically.

"So what now?" Katherine cried.

"We can't fight with blasters," Tommy said. "So we'll just have to use the blades instead."

The Rangers exchanged brief nods before following their leader into battle. "Yeehah!" Rocky exclaimed.

* * *

"It was to be expected," Minion said as he watched the Rangers break their comrade free. "They could have destroyed him if they hadn't been so concerned about their friend."

"You say that as if you wanted him to be destroyed," Arcana pointed out.

"If they had destroyed Siphon while he was connected to Tanya, he would have destroyed her powers. Never doubt that Minion plans for all eventualities."

* * *

Tommy leapt high into the air, his blade tucked in a reverse grip beneath his arm. As he flew past Siphon, he whipped the blade around, rolled across the ground and then sprang back to the attack, this time putting his entire weight behind the blow. Rocky and Adam followed suit, crossing their blades for extra strength. They were surprised when the monster managed to grab Adam's arm as he tried to move away and used him as a human shield against Kat.

"Unify!" Tommy called as Adam rolled away.

Kat and Rocky joined their weapons with their leader's weapon and after charging a sphere of energy, released it. They quickly reconfigured their weapons to blaster mode and opened fire. Siphon was struck soundly by each energy blast. The beast stumbled backwards, but was a long way from going down.

* * *

"Well," Minion said as the after effects of the blast lifted. "That was... disappointing."

He could imagine the looks on the Rangers' faces as they realised their attempted finisher had simply been shrugged off. Their attack had been surprisingly aggressive and as a result they had succeeded to stun Siphon. But given the monster's special ability, he doubted there was any way a single shot could destroy him.

"Perhaps it's time for the Rangers to face up to their problems," he said.

Arcana promptly aimed his wand at the Earth and sending down a surge of energy. The results were rapid as Siphon threw off any signs of injury and started to grow.

* * *

"Fire!" Tommy called, this time with five Rangers instead of three.

Siphon reacted by jumping into the attack, underestimating the power the Rangers had placed behind their shot. The Rangers had poured all their energy into that single combined shot and as the ground around him exploded Siphon wondered if perhaps he had made a mistake.

Then a new wave of energy struck him and he had the urge to reach his full potential. "So long Rangers, I'm going up in the world."

"We need to get back to the Power Chamber now," Rocky said. Nobody argued with him.

* * *

"Zordon, Minion made Siphon grow. We need the Zords," Kat said.

"I am aware of the situation Kat, but Alpha and I have been unable to restore the Zeo Zords."

There was a pause.

"Zordon found a solution," Jason told them. He looked uncomfortable.

"You got a Zord functioning, that's great," Tommy said, not understanding why Alpha and Zordon seemed so negative.

An image appeared on the Viewing Screen, a tall silver Megazord that caused the Rangers to groan in unison. They remembered it well, they had destroyed it themselves and were surprised that this had been the easiest Zord to repair.

"You have to understand," Sam explained. "This was just lying around in the remains that Zordon retrieved from Gasket's Zord fleet. Compared to deprogramming all of Gasket's booby traps, this was easy. We didn't realise... well you know, it looks so real. If we'd known it wasn't a proper Zord."

"This is the best we have?" Tommy asked. "A repaired prototype copy of the Ninja MegaFalconzord?"

"Looks hideous," Tanya remarked. "Is that really a Zord?"

"It's the best we can do," Jason said. "And maybe we should call it the Ninja."

~Some choice,~ Tommy thought, ~a Megazord that cannot separate or we sit back and allow Siphon to destroy the city.~

Of course he wanted to take the Zeo Zords into battle. They were tried, tested and had been built by Zordon and Alpha. The Ninja despite being rebuilt, had been built by Gasket and was the result of a scheme to duplicate the Rangers' Zords.

Rocky and Adam did not feel as strongly as their leader. They were uncomfortable with the idea of piloting something that resembled their Ninja Zords so closely, yet was only a pale imitation. They did however feel that a Megazord was preferable in battle to five solo Zords. Teamwork and the ability to combine forces had always been the Rangers' strength.

For Kat the emotional argument was slightly reversed. She had never been at home with her Ninja Zord, feeling that it belonged to Kimberly. Therefore her attitude to the Ninja was not filled with the same animosity that Tommy, Adam and Rocky felt. To them this machine was a sick and twisted joke at their former machine. For Kat it represented a way to fight back against Siphon.

And for Tanya there was no real argument. Her Zeo Zord was a gun on wheels, extremely limited in battle especially if the Zeo Zord responsible for drawing her into combat was damaged. The Ninja was mobile and though technically not a Zord, stood a better chance of success in her opinion.

"If it helps you to decide, the Zeo Zords will not work with those Gem Coin things," Jason said impatiently. "The Ninja will work with anything."

That pretty much settled the argument for them. The Rangers knew what they needed and that in the end, defeating Siphon was far more important than their personal preferences.

"Back to Action!" Tommy called. He didn't like this one bit.

* * *

The battle had been surprisingly quick; the Ninja and monster had clashed briefly before the machine had used its speed to out manoeuvre Siphon. They had used the modified Power Sword without energising it to skewer Minion's creation. Siphon had fought back briefly, draining the Zord's power, but had been unable to control the Gem Coins' unpredictable energy.

"Deploy wings!" Tommy ordered.

The mighty wingspan of the Ninja extended to maximum length, priming the tiny thrusters mounted on the tips. The legs bent slightly to provide the propulsion needed to get airborne. Once the thrusters kicked in though there was little chance of it crashing back to Earth.

"Claws extracted," Adam reported as a set of steel blades extended from the Wolf arm.

"Ninja Power Dive!" the Rangers called.

The Zord shot into the air before diving straight towards the monster. It passed through easily, its claws making short work of Minion's creation. A powered up sword that finished off the monster soon replaced the claws.

* * *

"He failed," Minion sighed. "It seems that Tommy and his friends have retained some of their good luck when dealing with Minion's creations."

Arcana looked disappointed, the Machine Empire's representative seemed unmoved by events.

"I admit I underestimated the Rangers' resolve," he told them. "But no matter. When Brasso and Bronzo complete their task, I will be able to break the link between the Rangers and the Zeo Crystal

"With its powers at my disposal Serpenterra will bring this world to its knees."

"Impressive words," Arcana told him, a hint of amusement in his tone. "A shame you don't have the results to back them up. Maybe you should stick to words and let others control the action."

Minion's eyes flashed, angry red light threatening to burst forth and incinerate anything in his path. The Sword of Darkness was in his hand as he advanced on the elderly wizard. A swift flick and the blade snapped the wand from his hand.

"And who would you suggest control the action, Arcana? You perhaps? Minion thinks not. You are here at Minion's invitation and your welcome has expired. Pray that your life does not also end here."

"I - I am here only to advise," Arcana managed.

"See that you never forget that," Minion told him, no sign of amusement in his stance. "You too, General. If you want to stay, you will remember your place. Minion has a role for both of you in his plans, but overstep your boundaries and there are others who would perform equally well. I had hoped that the promise of Serpenterra would convince you of Minion's ability."

He raised his arms and extended his hands, silently communicating with the greater powers of the Universe, making deals with magic that would bind him in body and mind. Let the Ranger have their victory, they'd fought for it after all.

"Savour it well, Rangers," he whispered, "for it shall be your last."

**End **


	8. A Hope Reborn

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe with an alternate time line.

A Hope Reborn

Days passed and the Rangers had accepted that Minion had ceased his attacks for the time being. It was not unusual for a villain to take a step back after their first push had failed. Far from giving up though Minion had been preparing his next move, starting with one of his most important weapons: knowledge.

"What have you found, spell weaver?" he asked.

Arcana and Bronzo looked nervous as they entered Throne Room. It was Arcana who spoke. "I have completed my task. I used every enchantment I could and I think you should see this." He handed Minion a long piece of parchment on which he had recorded the information he had gleamed from various sources.

Minion looked over the scroll and a lot of small pieces started to fall into place. "So the Green Ranger really is the same pathetic clone I almost killed last time; why Rita and Zedd would want to create a copy of Tommy is still beyond me." He thought for a moment. There were many ways to destroy a clone; unfortunately most of them destroyed all the clones in a solar system. Minion knew his new body would survive such a spell; it was his mind he was worried about. He had not escaped the Dark Dimension just to be sent back there by his own spell.

"What about this link he has with Minion, have you found a way to break it?" he asked.

"No Lord Minion," Bronzo replied.

"Whatever spell the clone used it bonded to you on a physical, spiritual, mental and magical level," Arcana added.

"You fools!" Minion snapped. "This is not the effect of a spell, it is a link created through an oath. Minion needs to know the contents of that promise before the link can be broken."

Beneath his mask Minion frowned. The sensors in his Lunar Palace were more powerful than the ones Zordon used, yet it had taken Arcana's magical sight to expose the magical tie between the Green Ranger and himself. ~Maybe this merits further examination,~ Minion thought.

"Leave me Arcana," he instructed. "Keep watch on the Earth, I want to know when they answer the summons. If Silvo and Brasso return tell them to await me outside; Minion does not wish to be disturbed."

Once Arcana had gone, Minion closed his eyes and entered a deep trance; he ignored Bronzo, his presence was not a problem. He searched the Earth below, trying to touch the minds of the Rangers. He felt Tommy, Kat, Tanya, Rocky, Adam and the clone. Minion's eyes snapped open. ~Where is Jason?~ he wondered. Even though the former Gold Ranger's powers were extremely limited, he was no less powerful than Tommy and the others, now that they had lost the Zeo Crystal and had to rely on the Gem Coin powers. Jason should have been there, fighting alongside his teammates, yet Zordon had kept him hidden. Zordon obviously knew or suspected something that Minion did not.

The Rangers' new powers and Zords had proven an annoyance for Minion. He had been hoping to keep the Rangers powerless until the time came to unleash Serpenterra and grind the Earth into submission. And while he had not deviated from that plan he knew the importance of keeping the Rangers off balance. He needed to ensure they were too distracted defending against his attacks to launch a counter attack.

He checked on Brasso and Silvo's progress and was pleased to discover they had already succeeded in securing Stone Henge in England, the site he planned to use to break the link between the Zeo Crystal and the Zeo Rangers.

They had also started on their next task, to isolate the Rangers from the other heroes of Earth. Brasso had gone to Crossworld City, home of the VR Troopers with instructions to create a barrier around the city to keep the local heroes contained until his forces could move in and take complete control; Silvo had gone to Leewood, the adopted home of the Masked Rider with similar instructions. WD Units had been dispatched to North Valley, just a few miles beyond Crossworld City as well as Charterville, Reefside, Mariner Bay and Blue Bay Harbour. All had orders to contain and then control the areas.

He produced an egg timer from subspace and silently calculated the waiting time. Serpenterra would take time to charge once the Zeo Crystal was ready. However there was no reason why he could not give the Rangers something else to think about. Maybe instead of worrying about his activities on the Moon, he could have them worry about a destructive threat from their own planet. Taking the Sword of Darkness and the Zeo Crystal with him, Minion teleported to Earth. It was time to put the Stone Henge to use.

* * *

Stone Henge, England

Minion appeared just outside of the barrier Silvo and Brasso had placed around Stone Henge. This site was one of many he planned to locate around the globe once he had conquered it. He had created this one ahead of schedule after Bronzo had discovered that the Zeo Crystal was still feeding energy to the Rangers. He hoped that the magical energy beneath the site, which he had used to create the purple dome, should break that connection.

His plans for Serpenterra depended upon breaking the link between the Rangers and the Zeo Crystal. He planned to dedicate the monument's full power solely to isolating the Zeo Crystal's power. Later he would order Bronzo to install equipment to use the Zeo Crystal to provide Serpenterra with all the power it required.

He checked to ensure there were no Rangers around. Satisfied there was nobody around Minion walked through the barrier and into the monument.

"By the power of all that is evil, I command Stone Henge to be restored!"

The ground shook as the mystical stones shifted position to return to their original positions within the stone circle. Over the years many humans had attempted to discover the true power behind the stone circle. Some had claimed it was an ancient form of calendar, some said it was an ancient burial ground and some even claimed aliens built it. Only Minion knew the truth, somebody within the Dark Dimension had told him the secrets of Earth and Stone Henge.

As the site reformed itself, Minion reflected on how arrogant humans were to believe for even a second that they knew the secrets of a site created long before this circular structure which became a magnet for new age travellers. He could just see the face of the country's greatest leaders if he was to resurrect them and tell them the power that had been under their very noses for centuries.

The final stone moved into place, forming a control station from which the portals could be opened. Minion pointed the Sword of Darkness at the ground. A beam shot from the end of the sword and opened a swirling portal of dark energy. He summoned the Zeo Crystal and placed it on the central altar. The energy that the crystal emitted would be redirected to a storage unit until needed.

Satisfied with his work, he teleported away.

Stone Henge was not the only site he had recently conquered. His forces had also secured the small town of North Valley and four relatively weak sites throughout across the planet. It was on a relatively small Ley Nexus and would not aid him in terms of power. However, North Valley was a major producer of electronic goods, something he would require in the future; its population would make excellent workers.

For now though it would serve another purpose. Using the Sword of Darkness and the power of the nexus, he opened a portal to the Dark Dimension.

"Peckster, Eye Guy, King Sphinx, Bones, Pudgy Pig, I command you to exist!"

From the portal stepped a group of monsters first set against the Power Rangers when Rita Repulsa had attacked the world. Minion knew they had all fallen in battle, but also realised they would act as a way to keep the Rangers busy and reveal any new weapons they created.

"Go to Angel Grove and destroy the Power Rangers. Do so at your full height, there is no point in fighting a losing battle and then growing."

He watched them leave and then returned to the Lunar Palace, but not before he had solidified the dome extending over the area.

* * *

Despite the success of the Gem Coin powers and the Ninja, the Rangers had been unable to relax. There was still work to be done, the Gem Coins were an unstable power source and the Gem Coin transformers had not performed as well as Zordon had hoped.

Then there was the matter of the Ninja. While the machine had managed to defeat the Siphon, the lack of individual Zords meant they were incapable of dealing with multiple threats. Adam and Jason were working on finding a way to separate the component Zords using parts from the machine they captured from Gasket to replace any missing components.

The sound of the alarm caused the Rangers to drop what they were doing and report to the main control room. On the screen they could see five monsters making their way through Angel Grove.

"Zordon, can we use the Ninja while it's under repair?" Tanya asked.

"No," Zordon replied. "Alpha and I will keep working on them. In the meantime Sam will have to handle the monsters with the Dragonzord."

Sam nodded - "Dragonzord!" - and teleported away.

In an instant he was transported into his Green Ranger uniform. Holding the Dragon Sword out he called, "Dragonzord, power up!" A beam of green light shot from his weapon, followed by the sound of the tune floating through the air.

On the view screen the familiar form of the Dragonzord appeared. Sam blurred, as he teleported to the Zord's cockpit, ready to start the battle.

Dragonzord stalked into the path of the five monsters and was soon joined by Tor, now converted to its warrior mode. Between them the two Zords started to play a game of tag with their opponents. Dragonzord smacked Pudgy Pig and the Peckster with its tail, before drawing them into range for Tor to blast with its weapon systems.

"Dragon Missiles!" Green Ranger called. The high-powered rockets launched from the Dragonzord's fingers, blasting Eye Guy in its main eye, destroying the monster. Bones attempted to blast him from behind, but found himself on the receiving end of the Dragonzord's tail drill.

King Sphinx had chosen a different strategy. Instead of attacking directly he blasted both Zords with his wings. Even the mighty Tor could not remain standing and landed on its back, converting back to Turtle mode. It remained there, unable to right itself.

"Turtle Battle Dragonzord, engage!" Green Ranger called.

As he pressed the series of buttons, Dragonzord rolled the fallen Tor back onto its feet. Tor converted to stand upright, its top splitting from the bottom, which had transformed into a pair of legs. With the Dragonzord dropping into place on top of the legs to form the body and head, the top part of Tor split in half from top to bottom, both halves transforming and connecting to the body as arms. Finally the Dragonzord's tail transformed to form its lance.

"Turtle Battle Dragonzord, online!" Sam called as the machine powered up.

Using the energy of the newly formed Zord, he blasted King Sphinx out of existence.

* * *

North Valley, Earth

"Run!" Sam shouted as the metal soldiers drew closer.

His two friends did not need telling twice. Both of them turned and ran as fast as they could through the smoking remains of their town. They had already tried to leave North Valley, but had found their way blocked by an unknown force field. Sam doubted these things were part of Kilokahn's army. He had seen footage of them on television fighting the Power Rangers. That was shortly before the attack. Afterwards there was no electricity left to run a television. The metal warriors had invaded quickly and then left only a small force to round up the townsfolk.

Malcum Frink ran for his life. When the attack had come, Malcum's computer had been destroyed along with any chance he had for power. Now all that mattered was staying alive long enough to find a way to ingratiate himself with the new villain in town. He turned the corner, hoping that Kilokahn had managed to store himself as a backup file on his laptop. He knew some of the new guards were Cogs, highly-developed robots but robots nonetheless. Robots had miniature computers to control them and that meant a way for Kilokahn to take control.

Sam stopped behind the remains of a building. His family and most of his friends were gone, but his only concern was survival. Behind him was a bright flash. Sam and his friends turned around in time to see a large machine with long tentacles staring down at them.

"Perfect," the Overseer said. "Humans, young and weak, you will make adequate batteries."

The Overseer signalled for her servants to grab the three youths and then carry them away. North Valley was not its assigned target, but a town full of much needed resources, was too good to miss. Sam Collins struggled briefly, but he was a hacker, not a hero. At least, not in the real world.

* * *

Minion had travelled back to the Moon and when he felt the surge of energy suggesting his first wave of monsters had been destroyed, he had used Bronzo's machine to recreate them. He also added a Giant and a Minotaur to his forces. He sent them back into action to the Financial District of Angel Grove.

* * *

"Turtle Battle Dragonzord, Disengage!"

There was the loud grinding of gears as the two machines never intended to combine, separated. The Power made them versatile enough to adapt from one formation to another. Tor finished reverting to its normal form and then returned to wherever it was that he came from.

Sam watched before preparing to return to the Power Chamber. The Dragonzord lurched as it was struck violently from behind and carried forward by some unknown force. Looking down he could see a horn sticking through the Zord's chest panel.

Minotaur finally stopped moving, throwing the Dragonzord to the ground where the other monsters closed in. Minotaur blast the Zord with energy from his horns; Giant and Bones moved in with their swords, hacking the Zord's tail; King Sphinx fired energy bolts from his sceptre and Pudgy Pig started to feed on the Zord's weapon systems.

* * *

"We have to help him," Kat said as she watched the Zord take yet another blow.

"She's right Zordon," Tommy added. "We need the Zords now."

Zordon nodded silently. He did not like the idea of the Rangers using the Zords until they were ready, but given the Ninja's origin, it was unlikely that it would ever be ready. "Rangers, observe the Viewing Screen."

The Rangers did as they were told. On the screen appeared the reconditioned and streamlined Ninja, Gasket's prototype copy of the Ninja MegaFalconzord. In its right hand it held a thin metal sword.

"The rebuilding has been mostly successful; the Ninja Zords are now ready for use. They are not as powerful as they should be, Alpha and Adam still need to install the booster elements. They will continue to work with your limited powers. Unfortunately since there are only five of you the Wolf will have to be operated by Jason from here, using remote control."

"Will we be able to use Titanus?" Adam asked.

"Yes," Alpha replied. "I have reconfigured Titanus to act as a Carrier Zord for you."

"Rangers step up to the table," Zordon instructed. As he spoke a six-sided table appeared. It was split into six segments; red, yellow, blue, pink, black and green. In each of the red, yellow, black, pink and green segments was one of the Gem Coin transformers that Zordon had been upgrading since the last battle.

In place of the previous morphers that had been indescribably cumbersome, these were the size of a normal Power Morpher. A small golden coin with a coloured gem embedded in the center, fixed into a small metal box inside of which Zordon had placed the electronics needed to regulate and control the process.

"I have adjusted the Gem Coins to handle your powers in a more efficient way. The Gem Coins will allow you to tap into your own links to the Morphin Grid while one of the generators transmits some of the Zeo energy we have been able to collect from the Super Zeo Gems. The energy will be mixed with pure Grid energy through the Wizard of Deception's wand."

"The powers are still highly unstable," Zordon warned. "They will only last for a short time before needing adjustment; they are not strong enough to power true Zords, but they should be able to control the Ninja." Tommy looked at the blue segment and saw the old remote unit Billy had built for the Falconzord.

"Thanks Zordon," Tommy said. He looked at the others and asked, "Ready?" When he saw them all nod, he signalled for them all to take their Gem Coins together. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!" Kat cried.

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!" Tanya shouted.

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!" Rocky called.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!" Adam cried.

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!" Tommy called.

In five beams of light the Rangers left to help their friend.

* * *

North Valley,

Malcum skulked through the remains of his town. He found it ironic that the boy he been trying to destroy for so long had been captured while he the evil mastermind remained free. Now he was aware of the fate in store for him should he ever be captured. There would be no negotiation, Malcum Frink was as good as dead.

Inside Malcum's laptop, Kilokahn was thinking the same thing. Malcum would not last much longer. The stress had finally driven the boy over the edge and together with Kilokahn's own actions the boy was finally ready to serve his true purpose.

"Malcum, look at the screen," Kilokahn instructed.

Malcum foolishly looked at the screen, hardly noticing the tiny flash as Kilokahn left the computerised world of electronics and entered Malcum's mind, which was after all just a collection of electrical impulses that he could control. Once inside the virus started to take over, building on the gradual damage he had caused during the time they had worked together.

"And now I am free from the limitations of the computer world, my Mega Virus monsters will be unstoppable."

Unfortunately he had not been paying attention to his surroundings and failed to notice that the forces he had been trying to escape had caught up with him. Before he could explain who he was, his newly acquired body was rendered unconscious, returning him to a much small computer world.

* * *

"We need the Zords, now!" the five Rangers called as they appeared near the spot where Dragonzord was still taking a beating.

As they teleported into their cockpits, Tommy reflected on how good it felt to be finally back in the sky. His cockpit was a lot simpler than the Falcon Zord he remembered. Alpha had installed a fly-by-wire system to compensate for the instinctive knowledge he now lacked. Taking the controls in his hands, he headed for where the monsters were still beating on the weakened Zord.

"Wing Rockets, launch!"

The wings of the Falcon folded together revealing eight rocket launchers. On his original Falcon Zord Tommy had been able to pick the size of the rocket and the force to put behind it. With this version there was only one size built in. Nevertheless they did the job, driving six of the monsters away from the fallen Zord and destroying Pudgy Pig.

The other Rangers meanwhile had activated their Gestalt systems and were trying to merge their machines together. "It's no good," Zeo Frog said. "Tommy, we need the Falcon to make this work."

"On my way," Zeo Falcon responded. He flew the Zord back into range of the others. "Okay, insert Gem Coins, now!"

"Ninja sequence initiated. Wolf remote control online."

Zeo Falcon read the message displayed and smiled. It had been a while since they had done this and he hoped it was still easy to pilot. With his Gem Coin in place Zeo Falcon pressed the commit button and let the Gestalt System take control.

The arms and legs of the Ape detached from the body, the legs of the Bear split away from the body and legs and head of the Wolf retracted into its body. The bodies of the Ape, Bear and Wolf joined to form the upper torso and arms of the Ninja. The legs of the Ape joined and connected to the base of the upper torso to complete the main body.

Meanwhile the Frog had transformed into a pair of legs, joining with the Bear's legs, which had transformed to make two feet, to form the lower body. The arms of the Ape had converted into fists, which connected to the arms.

Finally the body and arms merged with the legs, allowing the Falcon to clip onto the back and the Crane to slide into place as the head. As with the previous Megazords the Rangers were all grouped together in a single control room. Once again Alpha and Zordon had included fly-by-wire controls to assist them.

"Prepare to use the Double Power Punch," Zeo Falcon instructed.

"Um Tommy," Rocky whispered quietly. "There's no such function."

"Okay, change tactics; we'll just punch him out."

Moving in between the fallen Dragonzord and the remaining monsters, the Rangers started to fight back. Catching the Minotaur they used him as a shield against the Peckster. The Peckster's beak reduced the Minotaur to dust, allowing the Ninja to punch it in the face.

"Power Sword!" the Rangers called.

With the Ninja using the Power Sword and Dragonzord striking the monsters with its tail, the Rangers were soon victorious.

"Ultra mode, now!" Zeo Falcon called.

"Tommy we're finished," Zeo Crane told him.

"Not yet," Zeo Falcon replied, "Watch."

* * *

When his monsters returned the second time, Minion did not bother asking what had gone wrong. He was using the monsters Rita had relied on during her disastrous attempts to conquer Earth. The fact the Rangers were now weaker than ever did not seem to have made them any less able to beat the monsters.

"Go again," Minion ordered. He knew they would not win, but every moment the Rangers spent fighting had drained their powers and allowed him to move forward with his plans.

Now was the time Minion had planned for. Already the links between the Zeo Crystal and the Rangers had been broken. Soon he would be able to use the crystal for his own purposes.

* * *

After a few minutes of waiting, Tommy's hunch paid off. The seven monsters appeared yet again. This time they did not take the Rangers by surprise. As they finished teleporting the Rangers had already formed the Ultra-Ninja. The Rangers measured their opponents and fired their weapons, the full power of the Ultra-Ninja ripping the monsters to pieces.

Finally victorious the Rangers teleported back to the Power Chamber. For the first time in the last few days the Rangers were victorious and had managed to keep their machines intact to fight again.

When they entered the Chamber they found Zordon and Alpha waiting for them. Before he could congratulate them Tommy spoke. "Thanks Zordon. The Ninja Zords were just what we needed."

"Indeed," Zordon boomed, his voice filled with pride. "Although not as powerful as the Zords you have used, hopefully they will aid you until the Zeo Crystal can be recovered or a better alternative is found."

"What about Dragonzord?" Rocky asked.

"Not a problem," Alpha told him. "The damage is within the Zord's repair capabilities."

"So we win again?" Rocky asked.

"Yes," Zordon boomed. "Minion's monsters have been beaten back. However, there is more work to do. But for now you should go and relax while you can."

In a flash, the Rangers were gone. With them gone Zordon turned his attention back to the Zords he had been creating with Alpha, partly based on some plans Billy had sent just before contact with Aquitar had been lost. The plans included completely new designs for Zeo Zords I and II, along with several other improvements to the overall fleet. It had occurred to Zordon that it would be possible to build a version of these Zeo Zords that drew power from the Gem Coins, in case the Ninja Zords failed.

Of course, he wasn't sure how long the Gem Coin powers would remain useable, but it was a case of working with what was available.

* * *

Stone Henge, England

"Yes Minister, I understand. We'll do our best sir, yes fine, we'll keep in contact. Goodbye Minister." Finally able to put the phone down Brigadier Jeremy Brand returned to his assignment.

The previous day a strange energy barrier had appeared around Stone Henge. Although he had only recently taken command of the Special Affairs Team, he had been asked to take personal charge of the situation and to resolve the unknown problem.

"Sir?" The Brigadier turned around to be confronted by his second-in-command. Andre Le Chaud had been Head of Operation for five years. In the day-to-day activities, he knew the job better than his superior.

"Ah Le Chaud, good to see you."

"Thank you, Sir," the captain replied.

"Well, what do you make of this?" the Brigadier asked indicating the reason UNIT had been called in.

"It's some kind of energy field. We've been unable to penetrate it with x-ray or ultrasound. We've tried working a trench under the dome, but it appeared to continue down for more than two miles."

"I see," the Brigadier muttered. "Sergeant Groves!"

"Sir!" The young man snapped to attention as he saluted his superior.

Younger than most of the officers who had served under him in the past, Groves looked cool, calm and efficient. His short dyed hair was hidden under his Green Beret. The Brigadier noticed the man was carrying a small revolver at his hip.

"At ease," the Brigadier said. "Right, I want a five-mile exclusion zone around the monument. Anybody you find in the area I want detained and taken to a safe area for debriefing. Then post some men around the monument itself. Nothing is to go in or out of that barrier."

"Yes sir," Groves said as he hurried away.

"Now," the Brigadier continued. "Let's go take a look at this barrier, shall we?"

* * *

The Moon was a very peaceful place; the Sea of Tranquillity was a tomb of rock and ash untouched by either of these two mighty forces. In fact it had remained the same for decades, only ever touched by the footprints of the two American astronauts that had graced its surface. The marks were just a small reminder of mankind's accomplishment, the American flag and of course the residual litter was another indication.

Long ago a civilisation had lived on the Moon during a time when all the planets lived together in harmony. But that time was long passed and the machine that skimmed over the surface wouldn't have cared anyway. It was called Serpenterra, until now an unpowered hulk left to rust by its former master. Now it had enough power to make the journey to Earth where Minion planned to fully integrate the Zeo Crystal that currently powered only a fraction of its functions.

It continued drifting towards Rita and Zedd's palace, ignoring the battered Winnebago and then lifted as its pilot set a new course. In Indiana a small observatory recorded a dark shadow moving across the Moon. At the same time the alarms in the Power Chamber sounded.

The journey was relatively quick and Minion brought the machine to a dead stop over the Gulf of Mexico where it hovered ominously while the Zeo Crystal was moved from the engines to the weapon systems.

A single burst of energy left the giant machine's mouth, a burst of explosive energy equal to a nuclear bomb, which descended beneath the waters and exploded on the bedrock. A tidal wave formed as the unstable plates beneath the surface shifted, riding against and over each other to form a new landmass, an island that he could call his own that was outside of any human control.

As he directed the huge machine to land, after managing to reinstall the Zeo Crystal in time to avoid crashing, Minion pondered his next moves. The Zeo Crystal was now completely his to do with as he wish. And while he had not won the last round against the Rangers, they could not consider themselves the victors.

Bronzo would start reconfiguring the apparatus he installed in Serpenterra as soon as the core had had time to cool. Once that was done and the fuel cells were charged, the machine would be ready for use.

In the meantime Venjix had reported success in Charterville despite an encounter with the local heroes and while Brasso and Silvo had yet to report success, North Valley at least was under Minion's control. Minion would build on that success, maybe dispatch Arcana for a little gorilla action against the Rangers.

Yes, things were certainly moving in Minion's favour, so much so that both Arcana and Venjix had taken the opportunity to speak with their respective masters. Minion was getting too close to claiming power for himself, it was time for more suitable leaders to take control. Regardless of his success, the last thing they needed was Minion getting out of hand.

**End **


	9. Dirty Tricks and Deceptions

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. Tommy's experiences in this story were inspired after reading Shards of the Mind by Justin Lam.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Dirty Tricks and Deceptions

Minion's attacks like those of many villains had thinned out after the first few attacks. It didn't make the Rangers sleep any better knowing that he could strike again at any moment, but life had to go on.

After witnessing via satellite feed, Serpenterra plunging towards the sea, Zordon had lost track of Minion. And since that time, apart from a few strange energy spikes, there had been no sign of him. There had been strange stories coming in from neighbouring towns and cities though and despite Zordon's best attempts he had been unable to contact Dex in Leewood.

The Rangers had learnt during their careers as super heroes to value any and all downtime. And while there had been a few monster attacks, mostly monsters that they had defeated during their battles with either Zedd and Rita, or Mondo. Not that they complained about the time that they had for themselves, they knew it was important to appreciate the chance for a day off when they had it.

Today, most of the Rangers had attended their after school activities, refusing to worry about their missed assignments for one day. Kat had ballet practice much to Tommy's regret; he didn't like it when she insisted he take part in one of her productions. Tommy and Adam had increased the number of classes they taught so they could provide more intensive sessions for their students. Tanya had settled into her post at the local radio station. Rocky and Jason though were facing a greater foe than Minion, they had homework.

"I wish Billy was here," Rocky sighed as he threw his hands up in frustration. He had the misfortune of having maths homework that was due to be handed in the next morning.

Grades were one of the things that the Rangers had learnt early in their careers would fall victim to their secret lives as super heroes. If they weren't careful their schoolwork fell behind, which in turn meant that their parents grew concerned and started threatening punishments if the failures continued.

"I miss him too," Jason said. Since returning from the Peace Conference, Jason had been forced to try and catch up with some of the work he had missed. It seemed that while they taught the same subjects to the same level at the Peace Conference, the syllabus was arranged in a different way. As a result Jason was ahead in some classes and behind in others.

And while neither teen expected Billy to do their homework for them, both appreciated his help even if it was only a shove in the right direction.

"Has Zordon been able to contact Delphine?" Rocky asked.

Jason shook his head, concern evident. "No, Aquitar and Triforia are unreachable. Zordon contacted some of his allies in the Council, but they could only tell him that there had been no contact."

Something wasn't right and both Rangers knew it. However, as they had been taught over the years, knowing that something was wrong and knowing 'what' was wrong were two different things. Reluctantly both teens settled back and continued their work. 

* * *

There was something wrong and Zordon knew it; the Morphin Grid had been disrupted since Minion had returned, blinding him from other changes that he suspected were taking place. The small portion of the Morphin Grid, which constantly shifted in response to the battle between Zordon and his various adversaries had grown, leading Zordon to believe that either Zedd and Rita had found a way to increase their powers, or there was a new alliance on the horizon. It had taken hours of meditation to begin to interpret what had happened and even now Zordon could not say for certain.

There was one thing he did know though: whatever evil Minion possessed, there was something else looming on the very edge of Zordon's perception that threatened to eclipse the villain. He had tried to find the source of this new evil, using the Power Chamber's vast sensor network to scan the entire solar system. The results came back negative, forcing him to extend the search into the rest of the Galaxy.

As he had scanned further and further into space, he had realised how powerful this new evil must be to attract his attention from such a distance. At the very limit of the galactic scan, Zordon reached the conclusion that he would just have to wait, and hope that he was mistaken. That had been around the time that Minion had decided to strike

* * *

Planet Crystal.

"This doesn't look good," Billy muttered as he tried to salvage something from the main engine.

When he had stolen a ship to escape from Aquitar, the condition had not been important. By the time he had managed to force his way out of orbit and had evaded the last of his pursuers, the original state of the ship had proven irrelevant. It had been damaged, badly damaged by laser fire and a few remarkable shots had managed to all but cripple most of its systems, among them several vital functions.

Navigation had been damaged although he had not known that when he had activated the hyper-drive and had therefore ended up light years away from his destination. That was made worse because the engines had shut down, leaving him stranded. He had been lucky to reach the planet before him, a world that appeared to be falling apart if he could believe the readings he had managed to pick up.

~At least the air is breathable.~

As much as he hated the idea of landing in such a place, his only choice was to attempt a landing before his life support gave up its desperate struggle and he suffocated.

"Deploying emergency foil," he said to nobody in particular. Days in a confined space had had an effect on the genius and while not serious, his experience had led to him sounding his actions before he performed them in the hopes of avoiding a costly mistake.

Outside the craft a long tube emerged, which once fully extended, flared outward forming an umbrella canopy. The canopy then extended along the full length of the shuttle.

It was a special reflective material that in an emergency could protect a damaged ship against the heat of re-entry. Of course such craft were normally expected to have some form of working propulsion; apart from the low level manoeuvring thrusters, Billy's ship was dead in space.

"If my calculations are accurate, the frictional force of entering the atmosphere should recharge one of the power cells. That should allow the distribution system to engage the retro rockets. If I am incorrect, I will not survive the shock of landing."

With that said he touched the two wires he had been holding together, hoping that his knowledge of Aquitian space craft was current. He promised he would never complain about complex control panels again, compared to twisted pairs of wire, flashing buttons would be a welcome sight.

The ship jerked and bobbed, the thrusters firing randomly as he tried to push the craft in the right direction. When it started to spin, he did nothing to stop it; a rolling ship would proof difficult to control, but the more energy he could use up in the air, the less potential energy there was to be released on impact.

With a silent prayer he cut the engines, relying on the conical shape to control his descent. The ships bucked and twisted as it entered the atmosphere, the slow spin he had imitated, acted to reduce the turbulence. He glanced at the two controls he had working, the altimeter and the speedometer. There was no chance that he would be able to direct the descent, his hope was to survive it and from the two readings, he knew he needed to slow his descent.

Firing the small rockets, he capitalised on the cone's shape and managed to change the point of the cone from pointing straight down to an almost horizontal point. The natural roll of the cone meant that it rolled from side to side, making him feel sick, but burning up vital energy and creating friction that slowed his descent. He grinned as he saw that his airspeed was beneath terminal velocity.

"Oh no!"

He was too low and there wasn't time to restart the engine, even if it had been capable of restarting. With a groan of frustration, privately hating Mr Murphy and his stupid law, Billy tugged on the next to useless controls, trying to force the ship to reverse position so that the tip of the cone was pointing upward.

The result was immediate, but not too comfortable. The ship was now upside down and the wider footprint of the cone's base gave the ship all the aerodynamics of a brick. Still, the greater surface area helped to slow the descent, the hull superheating as the friction increased by the second. He used the small thrusters to shift the ship from side to side, slowing the descent further as he did so.

It was still not enough. The ship was slowing, but was still descending too fast for him to survive. His only hope lay in the ability to restart one engine and use it as a retro rocket. Had it been anyone else, the engine would have been impossible to fix, but Billy refused to give up even when the altimeter showed that he was less than two thousand meters from the ground.

"Here goes everything," he muttered as he crossed the wires again and the ship jerked to life, just as the cone skimmed the top of the treetops.

* * *

Minion's Island

Next Day.

"Is it done?" Minion asked, not taking his eyes off Bronzo as the henchman struggle to rework Serpenterra's wiring loom for the fourth time.

"Yes Minion," Arcana answered. "Billy Cranston has crash-landed on the planet Crystal as you predicted. I dispatched some WD Units to find him."

Minion nodded his approval. "Then all that remains is to get the Rangers to Crystal. Minion trusts you can ensure they need to get there?"

"Of course. While Venjix sends your monsters to battle the male Rangers, I shall kidnap and destroy the females." He licked his lips in anticipation. If they surrendered to him perhaps he could have some fun with them.

"Indeed. Five Rangers have proven difficult for you, spell weaver, Minion believes you may find two of them easier."

Arcana bowed but said nothing more as Minion returned to supervising the installation of the Zeo Crystal.

Minion laughed as the servant departed. Arcana was a fool if he believed that he had the ability to defeat one Ranger let alone two. There again sometimes ignorance was a valuable asset. So long as the spell weaver used the magical virus, all would go as planned. And in the meantime Venjix would build a few Machine Monsters to keep the other Rangers busy.

* * *

Jason yawned sleepily as he stepped out of the changing room. He was ready for a workout or better yet a chance to spar with someone. He hoped Adam or perhaps Rocky were still practicing.

He looked in the mirror and immediately went back to comb his hair. As usual after showering, it was a complete mess. He looked outside to where Emily was serving her customers. ~Maybe I'll ask her to do something later,~ he thought.

He walked across the room and took a seat at the counter where he could watch the other activities. There was still time left before he was due to meet with Kat and Tanya for a picnic. The two girls had persuaded him to join them near Angel Grove Lake at lunchtime. He looked at the clock and then looked again; it had stopped.

"Ernie, what time is it?" he asked.

"Almost Noon," the owner answered. "Do you want a sandwich?"

"They're going to kill me," Jason muttered as he paid for his drink and ran.

Ernie chuckled. It made a difference to watch Jason rush off when there wasn't a monster attack. Although he imagined Tanya and Kat could be worse than a monster in some cases.

Jason jogged quickly to where they had arranged to meet and as he approached he could hear Kat's slightly annoyed voice. He decided to play it cool and slowed. He missed the tree root but his foot didn't. He tumbled forward and landed flat on his back with a loud thud.

"Ow... my head!" he complained as he stood up slowly rubbing the back of his head. He groaned. ~This is going to be one of those days,~ he thought grimly.

"Stop fooling around," Kat called to him.

Jason sighed when he heard Tanya laugh. Obviously sympathy was not going to come from them.

"Come on Jason!" called out Katherine impatiently.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he answered as he ran over to them.

"Let's go!" said Tanya.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," agreed Katherine, eager to leave before something else happened. "We'll go to the beach instead. You still have the keys to the RADBUG don't you?"

"Yeah," Jason said nervously.

The RADBUG had remained mothballed in the Power Chamber since Billy had gone to Aquitar. Jason knew Billy's invention could be temperamental when it was cold. He hoped Alpha had kept the heating on in that part of the Power Chamber.

"Let's go," he said after a moment's hesitation.

They ran to a safe spot that Alpha could teleport the car to. The sudden appearance of a flying car would be too difficult to explain.

As they were about to climb into the vehicle Tanya looked at the sky and noticed a few clouds approaching. She sighed. She hoped that it was a natural storm although somehow she had her doubts.

* * *

Dark clouds had gathered in the sky, and lightning flickered across the sky. A light rain began to fall.

"Oh! I don't believe it!" complained Kat as she felt a few drops of rainfall on her.

They had just finished laying out their picnic after Jason had successfully parked the car.

"It's just a little rain," said Tanya. Suddenly the light rain changed into a downpour. "Uh-oh."

"You were saying?" asked Jason.

"Come on. Don't just stand there," interrupted Kat. "Let's go." She took off running quickly, and they followed her. Suddenly a jagged bolt of lightning lit up the sky, and a deafening crash of thunder echoed.

"EEEKS!" shrieked Tanya as she stopped running and covered her ears. "I hate thunderstorms!"

"Come on Tanya," urged Kat. "It's not that bad."

"Kat's right," Jason said after a while. "I think we should head back to the RADBUG, Tanya, unless you want to stand here in the rain. We'll be safer in the car."

"I'm already soaking wet," she commented as she pushed her thoroughly hair out of her eyes. Another crash of thunder rang out, and Tanya flinched. "I hate thunderstorms, hate them, hate them, hate them!" she mumbled to herself. "All right, let's go," she agreed. As much as she would rather stay in one place and try to avoid seeing the storm, she didn't quite favour getting any wetter than she already was.

As they ran, she saw another bolt of lightning etch its way across the sky. Tanya covered her ears in preparation for the thunder that would not doubt soon follow. "I hate thunderstorms, I hate thunderstorms," she repeated to herself as she continued to run blindly.

Kat watched the interaction between Jason and Tanya with interest. She hadn't known Tanya was afraid of storms and she had never seen Jason act the way he had. She wondered for a moment if something was going on.

"Kat, watch out!" called out Jason, interrupting her thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh!" she exclaimed as she tried to stop herself, but it was too late, and she slid into Tanya, knocking them both onto the ground. "Oops, sorry," she apologised.

"Ow," complained Tanya as she stood up slowly. Suddenly he stopped and looked up. "Hey, it stopped raining," she said, looking a little confused.

"And the sky's clear right here," added Jason as he looked up.

"Yeah, but it's still raining where we were, and the clouds are still all around us," observed Tanya as she squeezed some of the water out of her hair.

"That's weird," said Kat as they reached the car, "but I guess we should stay here till it clears up."

"Yeah," started Tanya. Flying home would be too dangerous. But before she could finish speaking, a bright light engulfed everything around them. "What's going on?" she shouted.

"I don't know!" called back Kat. The light blinded the three of them for a moment.

"This is just what I needed today," shouted Jason as he shielded his eyes. He still couldn't see anything, and it didn't make any sense. ~What's causing this,~ he wondered nervously. Whatever it was, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. Suddenly the ground beneath them gave way, and they fell down into the complete darkness below.

* * *

Jason opened his eyes slowly to the very dim light. ~Where am I?~ he wondered as he looked around him, but he saw nothing, save the near darkness. He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. The fall from above had confused him. ~Hey, wait a second,~ he thought suddenly.

Instinctively he tried his communicator and to teleport. Surprisingly though the message was not blocked, it simply didn't receive a response. In the same way the teleport attempt simply aborted each time and in the end he had to accept that it wasn't going to work. ~At least the anti jamming measures seem to work.~

"Tanya! Kat?" he called out quickly, but the only response was the echo of his own voice. "Where are they?" he wondered aloud. He walked slowly in the direction, which seemed to be the only source of the dim light around him. I guess I should head this way, he thought to himself but he really had no idea if he was going in the right direction. On top of that, he really didn't what he was looking for, and what to do once he found it. The only thing he was sure of right now was that he needed to find Tanya and Kat. Tanya would probably be able to think of something, and Kat, well, she was probably worse off than he was. She never seemed to like being alone too much, probably because of the time she spent in Rita and Zedd's service. He walked on in silence for a while until suddenly he tripped and fell to the ground.

"Oww..." groaned Tanya as she sat up slowly. "Why does everyone always trip over me," she continued mumbling to herself.

"Oh, sorry about that," apologised Jason as he stood back up quickly. He breathed a quick sigh of relief. At least he had managed to find Tanya.

"Oh... Jason," replied Tanya. A puzzled expression crept across her face slowly as he took in her surrounding. "Whoa... where are we?"

"I don't know," answered Jason, shrugging. "The last thing I remember was getting out of the rain, and then there was that light."

"Yeah... Hey, wait a second," said Tanya suddenly, as she looked around concerned. "Where's Kat?"

"I don't know. I haven't been able to find her yet," answered Jason.

"Then, come on. We've got to go find her."

"Yeah, but which way do we go?" wondered Jason. Tanya looked around in the dim light. It all looked the same to her, except maybe it was a bit brighter in one direction.

"I guess we should head that way," said Tanya.

Before Jason could answer, they heard a scream pierce the silence. "Tommy!"

"Kat?" queried Tanya as she tried to find the source of the sound quickly.

"Come on! Let's go!" said Jason, taking off quickly.

"LET GO OF ME!" yelled Kat angrily. Something was holding her, but she couldn't see it. She only felt that there was some sort of creature behind her, and it had a very good hold of her. She twisted around quickly, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of whatever was, but she saw nothing. She clenched her fists tightly at her side. "I

said... LET ME GO!" She stomped hard on what she though was its foot and in a quick burst of light and energy, she was able to escape the hold of the creature, which had tried to capture her. She dropped down to her floor, but immediately whirled around, but she still saw nothing. ~What was that?~ She wondered to herself.

"Kat, are you all right?" called out Tanya as soon as she reached her.

"Tanya, Jason," she said still a little dazed. "I'm fine, but what... what happened? Where are we?"

"I'm not sure," answered Jason. "But what happened to you? We heard you scream."

"Oh, uh... something grabbed me, but it's gone now," she answered looking around. She shuddered, and continued, "Whatever it was, it was gross."

"Maybe it was some kind of alien," suggested Tanya. With all the weird things that often came to Earth, they wouldn't have been all that surprised. "But what's it doing here on Earth?"

"If we are still on Earth," Jason added. They all looked around quickly, but nothing had changed. There was no way for them to tell where they were.

"How... how are we going to get out of here?" asked Kat uncertainly.

Jason half shrugged as he continued to look around. His companions remained silent. ~Great,~ he thought, ~I knew today was going to be a bad day, but this is crazy.~ He looked yet again, but there was nothing at all to see. Everything was still the same. He was having a hard enough time seeing Tanya and Kat, and they were standing directly in front of him. Seeing anything farther was next to impossible. He was the former Red Ranger and he had no idea what to do next.

"I wish it wasn't so dark," murmured Kat. All of the sudden the area immediately around them flooded with light.

"AIEE!" shrieked Tanya as she jumped back from the hole in the floor.

~This is too weird,~ Kat thought nervously.

Whatever caused that must have been listening in on their conversation, and that obviously meant that they were not alone, but who had it been?

"Who's there?" demanded Tanya stepping forward in front of Jason and Kat. However, the sudden increase of light had blinded her momentarily, and she couldn't see anything before her. As she slowly became accustomed to the light again, she noticed a very odd looking creature in front of them.

"Uh... what is that?" asked Kat as she drew back confused.

"What the hell?" wondered Tanya, confused. The creature in front of them seemed to have no definite shape. In fact it only seemed to be some sort of ooze being.

"This is too weird," added Jason as he stared at the creature.

"Ah... I see you've already met my army," came a voice. "Magical slime, woven from the basic elements of this planet, nothing more."

"Who's there?" demanded Tanya again. She scanned the area around them quickly, but she couldn't see anyone or anything else, and what had it meant by army?

'Well, since I already know who you are, I suppose it is only fair for you to know who I am," the voice said as it slowly stepped into the light.

The three teens drew back, half-expecting to see another alien, but to their surprise, it looked human. He wore red and tan robes with black boots. He had silver hair that extended down his back. His cloak appeared to be white, but was covered by so much dirt it was difficult to tell. On his hat he wore a crest of some kind that had obviously remained unpolished for a long time.

"I am called Arcana," he introduced himself. "Spell weaver and advisor to Lord Zedd, currently in the service of Minion."

"Minion?" exclaimed Jason.

"I see you recognise the name. He will be pleased with your reaction."

"Zedd?" wondered Tanya, looking over at Kat nervously. "But he's gone, so is

Rita..." She swallowed loudly. Rocky and Tommy had warned her before not to underestimate Lord Zedd or any to claimed to be in his service. This was turning into more than they could handle alone.

"Oh he'll be back, as soon as his tour of the Dark Galaxy has concluded. By then you three won't be in a position to let it worry you." He paused, eyes narrowing suspiciously as he noticed for the first time that there were indeed three people present. ~Three,~ he thought, ~there are only supposed to be the two female Rangers. What is the boy doing here?~ he wondered, ~unless... of course, he is not an active Ranger. No matter, he will not interfere with my plan.~

"What do you want?" demanded Tanya.

"I have only one mission," he told them. "To destroy you three."

That wasn't true. Minion had given him several tasks to complete, this just happened to be the one he preferred. He still had matters to attend to on Crystal.

"If that's true, then why did you bring us here?" asked Tanya.

"What better way to carry out Minion's plan, than by kidnapping and separating his enemies?" answered Arcana coldly. "When they find you, if they find you

... it will be too late. And then, I'll destroy them one by one."

Kat shivered. Something about this wizard scared her. Maybe it was because he looked so incredibly human compared to Zedd. Even Minion with all his scars looked less than human. However, there was something that made Arcana different, the eyes were filled with intelligence and joy at what he was doing instead of the cold and calculating look of a predator. Kat shivered again as she realised that the spell weaver knew exactly what he was doing and that he genuinely wanted to do it. He was truly evil, and that was a terrifying thought. Still, she stepped forward a bit, knowing that she wouldn't be able to help the others at all if she kept scaring herself.

"Where have you taken us?" asked Kat, a bit shakily. The cold dismal atmosphere reminded her too much of Lunar Palace for her to remain completely unaffected.

"Quiet girl!" snapped Arcana. "You will find out when I am ready."

"Don't talk to Kat like that," Tanya shot back angrily.

"I do as I please," returned Arcana, unconcerned. Tanya looked the wizard over carefully. Had he been human, Tanya would have guessed him to be a little older than Zordon had appeared in some of the images she had seen. ~Hey wait,~ she thought, ~Zordon.~

"Jason," said Tanya as she turned to face him quickly. "We need to morph."

"Now?' asked Jason, a bit confused. "Why?"

"Our communicators are gone, but we can still morph. When we do, Zordon will detect us." explained Tanya.

"Oh, right," agreed Jason as he understood what Tanya meant. He had been concentrating on where they were while leaving Tanya and Kat to find out whom they were dealing with. He closed his eyes for a second, concentrating on summoning the Power. His residual Gold Ranger powers would be more detectable than the Gem Coin powers.

"You're wasting your time," said Arcana suddenly, interrupting Jason's concentration.

Even though he could still summon the Power to transform into a Ranger of some sort, the process required a great deal of concentration to initiate. The words that normally controlled what happened to the energy were meaningless, it was all a matter of willpower and memory. Still, the transformation had been made.

"Huh?" questioned Jason, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Simple," answered Arcana. "No one will be able to detect your location."

"Wh... what does he mean?" Kat asked Tanya quietly.

"Minion anticipated this happening, although he didn't expect there to be three of you, and he took precautions. We're not in your dimension any longer, Minion gave me the means to shift us forty-five degrees out of phase. This is my dimension."

"Your dimension?" wondered Kat.

"Where exactly is this dimension of yours?" asked Tanya.

"It's a space between time, literally a gap between then and now." Arcana answered absently. "Effectively, you are no where right now."

"No where?" repeated Jason as that slowly sank in.

"Exactly, which means that no one will be able to find you," continued Arcana. "Besides, I doubt you would last long enough for anyone to reach you," he added confidently. He was completely certain that destroying what he viewed as three children would not take too long. How Rita, Zedd and Minion had failed to do so was beyond him.

"You seem sure of yourself," said Jason.

"Of course, I have every reason to be," the villain answered. "This has been carefully planned. I won't even have to dirty my hands fighting you. My army will take care of that insignificant task by themselves."

"How do you figure that they can beat us?" asked Tanya. Arcana seemed to be enjoying himself by explaining his plans to them, and Tanya hoped they would be able to stall him long enough to come up with some sort of a plan.

"Every truly powerful villain has a specialty," he boasted. "Lord Zedd enjoys transforming living creatures into monsters, he can do the same with inanimate objects, but they lack the instinct of the originals. Master Vile makes powerful monsters, Mistress Repugna was an expert in making golems. And myself, I am a spell weaver; my monsters are unimpressive, but their special abilities are spectacular. And my army has a very useful ability." Arcana was pleased by the curiosity these three children were displaying towards his work. "They absorb the energy from anything they come in contact with."

"But that's..." started Kat, her voice trailing off.

"Impossible, you were going to say?" questioned Arcana. "Well you're very far from the truth indeed, girl. Remember Blue Globbor, you especially Kat must remember how capable he was of draining your energy?"

"What's that got to do with it?" interjected Jason, confused.

"Quiet!" snapped Arcana. Jason looked provoked and was about to attack, but Tanya shook her head a little. Jason was not as hot headed as he had once been, but attacking the wizard was definitely not the solution. "I used the technology that allowed them to absorb energy and took it to the next level. Instead of only absorbing Morphin energy like Globbor, my army can absorb all energy, even life force, with even the slightest touch. Very useful, wouldn't you say?"

"But then... how are we supposed to fight them," wondered Jason quietly.

"And we won't be able to use our pistols," added Tanya, worried.

"Then... what can we do?" asked Kat.

"Nothing," interjected Arcana, with a pleased smirk. "Of course I want this to be mildly amusing, so please feel free to morph. You might last longer. Unlike Zedd's other servants, I will not fail him, or Minion."

"But Zedd retreated," pointed out Jason. "And Minion is just another monster. Why are you still following his orders if you are so powerful?"

"You don't know anything, Ranger," Arcana sneered. "Zedd didn't retreat, he took a vacation. And Minion - I obey him because Zedd told me to. Because I have no choice."

"Now what?" Kat thought aloud. No wonder she had felt just a little drained after she had escaped her captor earlier. It must have taken some of her energy. ~But it only touched me for a few seconds,~ she thought, worry overshadowing her face. ~If it can absorb energy that

fast...~ She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of it. Right now she had to concentrate on finding some way out of this mess.

"Jason, what should we do?" asked Tanya.

"I'm not sure," answered Jason, "but they have to have some sort of weakness."

"What, I mean, how can you tell?" asked Kat, a bit confused.

"Well, it's practically impossible for them to be entirely invulnerable. There has to be something," explained Tanya. At least that was what she hoped, if not they were in deep trouble.

"How very perceptive," said Arcana suddenly. The Rangers turned around quickly to face him. The wizard looked them over carefully; they were obviously more perceptive than he'd been led to believe. There again, Minion had been less than generous with his analysis of their powers. The boy Jason seemed to be the leader of the three and taking him down would be the first order of business. "But you'll never live long enough to figure it out. Now, enough of this useless talk, I think it's time for you to face off against my creations."

"Morph," Jason told his friends. "We'll stand a better chance that way."

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!" Kat called.

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!" Tanya added.

Arcana looked over at his army eagerly. He had anticipated this moment since Minion had ordered him to prepare the trap. Now he would find out if all of his hard work would pay off. "Go!" he ordered. "Attack those three, and don't stop until you've absorbed all of their energy." It was rather odd that they would be able take orders from him, but they had no mind of their own and they existed only to help him carry out his mission.

"Get ready," said Jason, looking back at Tanya and Kat. If Arcana was telling the truth about his army, then they definitely had their work cut out for them. To make matters worse, Jason was their weakness because although Kat and Tanya's were unstable, they at least understood where they came from. Nobody had been able to think of a good plan in spite of all the time that the wizard had spent explaining.

"What do we do?" asked Kat.

"Just try to avoid them," answered Tanya. She knew that sounded obvious and probably stupid, but at the moment she just couldn't think of anything else.

"That's it?" questioned Arcana, incredulously. "That's your plan?"

"Unless you want to call them off," Jason snapped. "Move!" he called out quickly as he saw one of the creatures coming towards them. Jason sidestepped immediately, and it flew past him and splattered on the ground.

"Eww," murmured Kat. "They're just blobs. How are we supposed to fight them?" she called out exasperated. Suddenly the entire army started rushing in towards them.

"Just stay out of their way!" shouted Tanya, leaping up into the air. Jason and Kat followed her example.

"That won't help you!" Arcana jeered. He held his hands in front of him and fired energy blasts at the three of them as they landed. They moved quickly out of the way, but the wizard did not slow down. He continued firing at them for a long while, and showed no signs of wearing down at all. Jason, Tanya, and Kat on the other hand seemed to be having increasing difficulty with getting out of the way.

"I don't believe it," complained Jason, dodging as best he could.

"What?" asked Kat. She was slightly out of breath, but she didn't dare slow down for fear of being knocked out of the air and down below where those creatures were waiting. ~Can't go down, and it's getting too hard to stay up here,~ she thought grimly. "What is it?" she repeated to Jason.

"He isn't slowing," explained Jason.

"Then you mean..." started Kat.

"He's feeding off the energy they steal from us," finished Tanya.

"Are you sure?" questioned Kat, sceptically. Even though Arcana did not show any signs of slowing down at all, she still found it hard to believe that he would never run out of energy.

"Yeah, pretty sure," answered Jason. "Or as close to infinite as he can get."

"Otherwise, he should have slowed a little by now," reasoned Tanya.

"Oh! I don't believe it. He never runs out of energy, and they absorb it. Can this possibly get any worse?" she complained.

"I think - Kat, look out!" called out Jason.

"Wha... oh!" she exclaimed as she saw a beam coming towards her. She dropped quickly to the floor, and the beam passed inches from her, shearing off a fragment of her helmet.

"Don't stay down!" called out Tanya, hurriedly.

"Right!" she called back as she jumped back up. A few more feet away, Arcana's army had gathered to pounce on her. "He's too fast!" she called out.

"You're right girl," said Arcana, stopping for a short moment from his attacks. "Why don't you just save me the trouble and give up now?"

"Not a chance!" Tanya shot back. "Jason," she said over the helmet communicator. "Jason!"

Jason started and looked up suddenly. His Gold Ranger costume lacked a permanent design and it seemed that this time it was lacking a real communicator. He had to rely on the Power to transmit Tanya's words. Unfortunately the blobs were absorbing any background energy, making the task difficult. "What is it?" he replied.

"I'll distract him," said Tanya. "You try to hit him from behind. Maybe a surprise attack will give us an advantage, all right?"

"Got it," answered Jason. He watched Tanya and Arcana carefully, waiting for his chance to attack.

"Hey Arcana!" called out Tanya aloud. Arcana glared back at her menacingly. Tanya swallowed loudly. ~Can't turn back now,~ she thought quickly overcoming her fears. "Why don't you just fight us, instead of hiding behind them?" she challenged.

The wizard looked irritated.

"I think you are a little too cocky," he replied.

"Why don't you come up here and prove that?" taunted Tanya.

"Tanya, what are you doing?" whispered Kat, surprised that Tanya was acting so confidently. They both knew that Arcana was not someone to be taken lightly. Kat also knew that Tanya was unlikely to rush in without a plan.

"Don't worry," she told her quietly. "Just wait for Jason to attack and join in."

"Oh, okay," she answered with a quick nod.

"Well Arcana?" provoked Tanya.

"Perhaps I will," he replied, rising into the air slowly using a levitation spell.

Jason watched intently, waiting to spring. If they could just defeat Arcana, then maybe those things he created wouldn't know what to do. If that happened, then they had a better chance of escape. But there was still one thing that worried him, if he killed the wizard and that caused the alternate dimension to collapse, what then? There was another possibility, which didn't seem much better than the first. The alternate dimension might stay stable, but they had no way of getting out. None of them knew how Arcana had been able to create it, and it was unlikely that they'd be able to figure it out.

"Tanya!" called out Kat, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up and saw Arcana ready to strike at the Yellow Gem Coin Ranger. Tanya quickly focussed on her task; fighting Arcana was going to take everything she had.

* * *

Angel Grove

"Falcon Missiles!" Zeo Falcon cried as his Zord unloaded its arsenal, bringing the huge metallic spider to a stop as the Ape and Frog tried to bring it down.

Why Minion had suddenly launched this attack was unknown, but since it had occurred at the same time that Jason, Tanya and Kat had disappeared, he had a few ideas of what the villain had in mind.

"Stab it!" he yelled.

The Ape moved to obey, driving its weapons into the metal spider's head as the Frog dragged the legs out from underneath. A quick swipe from Dragonzord's tail and the battle was over, allowing the four Rangers to teleport back to the Power Chamber.

* * *

Arcana's dimension.

Tanya and Arcana watched each other carefully. Neither of them wanted to make the first move. Jason and Kat also watched closely, Jason waiting to attack, and Kat waiting to help if needed.

"Well?" questioned Arcana, impatiently. "You wanted to fight me, so why are you still waiting?"

"I was going to give you the advantage of going first," lied Tanya, "but since you don't want to, I will."

With that she disappeared from where she was using the short-range teleport intended for entering Zords. A second later she reappeared behind Arcana. She swung quickly at Arcana's head, but the spell weaver had already turned around. Tanya pulled back quickly and avoided being caught, but Arcana was only starting to attack. Tanya tried to launch her own counterattack, but it was all she could do to just keep up with Arcana. For a wizard, he was a remarkably good fighter.

"What's the matter?" jeered Arcana. "Was taking me on too much for you?"

Tanya remained silent, not sure what to say. The only answer she could think of came in the form of a physical assault, which she did immediately. However, the results were the same as before. She attacked, and Arcana proved he was more than capable of avoiding her. Arcana kicked her hard in the side. Tanya gasped in pain, but Arcana wasn't done yet. He continued his assault on the now practically immobilised Yellow Ranger. He hit her again, this time on the side of her head, and Tanya stumbled.

~He's too strong,~ thought Tanya as she tried to regain her balance.

"I think it's time to end this," said Arcana, abruptly. He had no further interest in fighting Tanya, and he was ready to move on to more important matters. He held his arms out in front of him, charging for a blast.

"NOW Jason!" Tanya signalled, hoping the Gold Ranger would hear her this time.

"Hi-yah!" yelled Jason from behind them.

Arcana looked startled and began to turn around. Tanya immediately disappeared from where she was and reappeared next to Kat. Jason had drawn a broadsword and unleashed a ball of fire at the unsuspecting monster.

It made its way to Arcana in a flash and as Arcana put out his hands to block Jason's blast, Jason poured more energy into a second attack. With the added power of Kat's sidearm, it looked as though they had a chance of winning, at least for a short time. But then, one of Arcana's creations bounced up into the air and came between Jason and Arcana.

"Jason! STOP!" called out Kat hurriedly.

The creature was already starting to absorb Jason's energy, and Arcana had long since moved out of the way. Jason stopped quickly as he realised what had happened. It was too late to stop Arcana from stealing his energy though, and left him defenceless as the villain retaliated with a vicious chop.

Jason struggled as the villain gripped him around the neck. He kicked violently but his struggles ceased when he saw Arcana draw an object from subspace. It was a needle filled with a black liquid. Jason tried to get away but the point had already pierced his uniform and the liquid was flowing into his veins.

Jason's eyes widened with pain and he tried to scream. He failed; all his attempts at movement failed. His breathing became tight and the world seemed to blur. He slumped to the ground and demorphed. He opened his mouth to speak, but the darkness claimed him for a moment.

"Jason, what's wrong?" questioned Kat, worried.

"What did you do to him?" demanded Tanya, angrily.

Arcana laughed. "He was getting in my way," he told them, smirking.

"Answer me!" repeated Tanya.

"Temper, temper," chided the wizard. "If you really want to know, I injected him with a magical virus."

"A virus?" exclaimed Tanya.

"Are you deaf? Perhaps it's spreading faster than I thought it would. Allow me to explain. Yes, it is a virus, a very potent little thing I picked up during my travels. I thought it might be useful, but I hadn't imagined I would find such an unwilling victim," said Arcana.

"And do you have the cure?" demanded Tanya.

"Hmm...no," answered Arcana, smirking. This was going better than Minion had predicted. "I didn't plan on helping anyone I infected."

Tanya and Kat looked at him, shocked. If he didn't have the antidote, then what could they do? He had said it was a virus he had found somewhere in space, it was unlikely that there would be anything on Earth, which could act as the antidote.

Jason stared up at the sky, still confused. ~A virus,~ he thought, ~I didn't know one could act so fast.~ He wondered what else this virus

did... if it would kill him.

He wanted to stand up, but it seemed as though the virus had paralysed him. He looked up at Kat and Tanya who were still standing over him. He smiled at them weakly. As long as they were still there, he would be all right.

~Now,~ he thought, ~I just need a little rest... just a little rest.~ He closed her eyes slowly and almost immediately fell into a deep sleep.

"Jason!" repeated Tanya, shaking him a little, but he didn't respond.

"One down, two to go," Arcana proclaimed. "Make it easy and surrender now."

He could feel the Yellow Ranger's temper simmering beneath her helmet. She suddenly seemed more powerful than he had believed. The Pink Ranger was no less threatening as she tried to help the former Gold Ranger.

~A bond of love and friendship,~ he realised.

He had underestimated the closeness these Rangers felt and the anger they would feel if one of their number was hurt. He decided it would be wise to end his mission swiftly and retreat to a safe place where he could study and then destroy these Gem Coin Rangers. But he had enough power to finish the Gold Ranger first.

He practically screamed as he poured all of his hate into the spell, which was one of the oldest spells known and feared by forces of good and evil. It was also among the oldest and most difficult to conjure. When struck by the spell served only one purpose: to kill. When cast it ordered the body to die through whatever means possible. It could be a heart attack or the simultaneous shattering of every bone and organ in the victim's body. One thing was certain, the spell when cast was deadly unless blocked. Against an already crippled and almost powerless victim death was certain.

"Jason!" Kat cried, kicking a blob in his direction.

The blob enlarged to four times its normal size as it moved in front of the fallen Ranger. Its properties meant that it absorbed most of the lethal spell, but not enough to prevent it from striking Jason and causing his condition to worsen. But now Arcana had to face something few had witnessed but all feared: a furious Pink Ranger.

Kat was a gentle person and never deliberately set out to hurt anybody. Even when she had been under Rita's spell it had taken constant enforcement from Rita's spell before Kat had tried to hurt the Rangers. And since the day she had used the memory of all she had done to shrug off the spell and to resist all attempts by Rita to replace it. Like most human she felt emotions, but rarely pure rage.

There certain exist stereotypes when dealing with Rangers. Black Rangers were often the more playful members of the team while Red Rangers were considered to make the best battle commanders. For the most part Pink Rangers were considered as healers who reached out to help those in pain. But that was only part of the story. Pink Rangers didn't just feel the need to help those in pain, they hated to see others in pain and fought to do whatever they could to stop the pain. Kat's Gem Coin powers were unstable, but she was still a Pink Ranger. Unable to do anything to help Jason her rage found another outlet: the being who had caused that pain.

"Pink Flash!" she yelled.

A burst of energy passed directly through her, emerging from her palms. There was a painfully bright flash that caused all present to turn their heads as she threw the energy towards Arcana. The spell weaver saw the attack coming, recovered from his shock and fled.

Arcana was not stupid. Even as the energy disk approached the place where he was fighting with Tanya he started to retreat. But the energy made contact at the same time that Tanya hit him with her own energised fist. The explosion that followed ripped open the pocket dimension as Tanya, Jason, Kat and Arcana were abruptly returned to Earth.

* * *

Angel Grove

The Rangers had been searching for Jason, Kat and Tanya since the three had disappeared. They had had limited success and their efforts had been undermined by Minion sending one monster after the other to distract them.

So when Sam sensed a sudden burst of magical energy, he immediately sought it out. He could sense Kat and Tanya as they fought something. He sensed a third signature that he recognised as an almost nonexistent Jason.

"Dragon Zord!"

He teleported to their location, hoping that he could get there before one of his friends was killed. When he arrived, he discovered that he was already too late. Jason lay unmoving while Tanya and Kat pummelled the man Sam assumed to be the culprit. He watched as Tanya summoned the power of her Gem Coin and blasted the wizard. He disappeared amid the explosion of energy.

Sam was already moving as Kat and Tanya collapsed from exhaustion. He drew his sword but there was nothing left for him to fight. The two Rangers had already finished the job without him. Then he looked at Jason and realised he needed to get them to the Power Chamber immediately.

Gathering the three Rangers together he teleported.

* * *

Jason was walking toward what seemed to be a cloud of darkness, but he knew it was nothingness, oblivion. He was surprised. He had expected to see the after life. He had been told that all his life, but no, what he faced was oblivion. And though he wanted to live, he was too tired to fight on. He welcomed it; it would end his pain, his agony.

* * *

"Ai-yi-yi, Rangers, we were so worried," Alpha exclaimed as Tanya and Kat returned to the Power Chamber and practically collapsed. Sam appeared next, in his arms was Jason's motionless body.

"Zordon, he needs help!" Sam said. With all the stress Sam sounded more like Tommy than he intended. Fortunately the others were too focussed on the former leader of the Power Rangers to notice the slip in their comrade's composure.

Alpha scurried around and soon had Jason on one of the medical beds where he had spent several days during the failure of his Gold Ranger powers. Electrodes were attached to the boy's chest and quickly put their minds at ease; he was alive, but barely.

"Arcana poisoned him," Tanya said. While the others had been watching Alpha, she had taken the time to explain to Zordon. "He said it was a magical virus."

"Alpha, scan Jason for signs of a spell," Zordon instructed.

Alpha did as he was told while Zordon turned his attention to the other three. The Green Ranger's expression was unreadable although he sensed there had been some strain involved in teleporting to and from wherever they were held. In the end he gave up, no doubt his powers were already recharging anyway.

Tanya and Kat were another story though. Both had demorphed and had had some of their own energy stolen by the Blobs. They would recover, but their bodies were exhausted and in desperate need of rest. He could have used a portion of his energy to revitalise them, but some things were better left to occur naturally.

It took a few minutes to convince them, but after explaining Jason's absences to his parents and thanking Sam for his help, Tanya and Kat teleported away.

"Don't you leave us Jason," Kat warned as she kissed his forehead.

Tanya copied the sentiment before she added a silent prayer. "Please God, send Jason home."

"Be strong Jase," Tommy whispered.

Zordon sighed as he realised it was going to be another long night, but the health of his Rangers came first and Zordon knew he would be unable to sleep unless he was certain his first Red Ranger was safe; the mentor had lost count of how many sleepless nights he had experienced during the time that Kimberly had lost her Power Coin. He sighed again as he settled down to work.

* * *

He did not remember anything after his fight with Arcana. By the time his body touched the ground he had already been absorbed by the darkness. As the Green Ranger lifted him to teleport, death had already overwhelmed him. He remained unaware until now, as he faced the blackness of nothingness before him. He was walking slowly toward nothingness when he heard a faint sound. It seemed to be a voice behind him, but he couldn't be sure.

Then he recognised Kat's voice, calling him back, begging him to fight for his life and to hold on until Zordon finds a cure. Tanya was there too; he could sense her although he didn't know how. And of course Zordon, how could he miss Zordon? The light of his voice was dazzling and for a moment the darkness retreated from sight as the fourth voice told him to keep fighting; Tommy had spoken.

~But how can I hear them if I am dead?~

Was that to be his punishment for whatever sins he had committed? Or perhaps Arcana's final revenge; this was his hell. A demon with the voices of those he loved, speaking the words that they all knew. Rangers are a family and they loved each other like a family. Hell's flames would have been better than such a torture! But the voice continued and he realised that no demon could speak with those voices. There was love in those words and no demon could feel love. Suddenly, he turned from the black nothingness and with all his being he ran away from it. With his total being, he fought against entering the nothingness of death. He had to live because the Rangers loved him and he would do anything not to hurt them. He refused to surrender to death.

* * *

The Power Chamber

Next Day

The Rangers waited patiently while Alpha and Zordon studied the results of the tests they had performed the previous night. Jason's condition had not improved, but it had not deteriorated further. That was something the Rangers and their mentor were grateful for. As time had passed though Tanya had grown tired of waiting and eventually she decided something had to be done.

"Zordon, how long will this take?"

Zordon sensed the impatience in Tanya's tone, but knew better than to rush and make a mistake. The scans had been quite revealing and despite their first thoughts, the so-called magical virus was not all that it appeared to be,

"We are almost finished," Zordon boomed. "Alpha, use the computer to find a cure."

"Do you know what is wrong with him?" Rocky asked hopefully.

"Yes," Zordon replied. "Jason has been infected with the Bibellic Virus. It is a rare but deadly virus that lies dormant for several days before it strikes and kills its victim."

"Arcana used a Wrath Spell to immobilise Jason," Alpha continued. "With the spell in place the virus would have started immediately and Jason would have easily succumbed to the illness."

"Can you cure him?" Kat asked.

There was a long silence and the Rangers had the impression that Zordon was struggling to decide what to them. Finally he spoke.

"The cure cannot be found on Earth. Only on the planet Crystal could a cure be found."

"So we'll have to go to Crystal," Tommy said.

"No Tommy," Zordon said. "If you all go, Minion will be able to conquer the Earth before you return. Kat and Tanya will journey to Crystal while the rest of you protect this world from attack."

"He's right Tommy," Adam told him. "This is the only way."

This was not a good sign. The Red, Green and Blue Gem Coin Rangers were being kept busy, fighting off recreated monsters from Rita and Mondo's forces while Kat and Tanya tried to help Jason.

"We'll have to hurry back," Kat said after a moment of thought. Then another question presented itself. "Zordon, can we teleport there?"

"I am afraid not," Zordon replied. "Crystal is in a state of constant flux due to the damage to its core."

He didn't say more and hoped the Rangers would not push him further. Crystal was a doomed world that had been abandoned by most of its inhabitants. Beneath the surface a swarm of maggot like creatures called Blibs were consuming the world from the inside out. At first they had been kept under control by the strange properties of the Blue Crystal Rose, the cure for Jason's illness. Unfortunately the planet had fallen foul of a villain by the name of Scorpius with a little off planet help from the wicked Count Dregon, who had a habit of destroying those worlds he intended to conquer if Edenoi was a typical example, and the magical flower had been all but destroyed. In fact only one place remained where the flower could grow, a last defence against the all-consuming hunger of the Blibs. And should that last place be destroyed, Zordon knew it would be a matter of time before the planet disintegrated and all hope of finding a cure was lost.

Unfortunately the constant consumption of the planet's core had caused a series of changes to its axis and rotation. With the random gravity variations such changes caused it was impossible to guarantee that a teleport attempt could be successful. At the same time any attempt to return would be foiled by the atmosphere. Unlike the Desert of Despair where the Rangers had had a small chance of returning, teleporting to Crystal was just suicide.

He could see the dismay on their faces as their only realistic hope of saving their comrade faded. Fortunately Zordon had already found an alternative, an alternative he had intended to reveal to them in the future. For now though his plans would have to wait.

"Alpha, prepare the Earth's Fire for launch."

"The Earth's Fire?" Tanya repeated.

"After the Rangers journeyed to Edenoi, I realised they needed the means to travel off-planet. The idea was still in its early stage when Billy journeyed to Aquitar to help against the Hydro Contaminators. The events concerning his return convinced me to complete the project. I present to you the Earth's Fire."

"Wow!" That about summed up their thoughts as the Viewing Globe revealed the massive space cruiser. "Is that a Zord?"

"No," Zordon told them. "I designed the Earth's Fire to act primarily as a transport for interplanetary operations."

"Ai-yi-yi, a Zord?" Alpha exclaimed in amusement. "Zordon's first idea was to convert Titanus for

space..."

"Alpha, is the Earth's Fire prepared?" Zordon asked quickly.

"Yes Zordon," Alpha replied, suddenly aware of Zordon's displeasure. Zordon considered had considered the modified Carrier Zord an essential part of his Master Plan, regardless of how ridiculous it looked when they had finished the modifications. Sadly he was beginning to suspect that the careful manoeuvring he had performed over the last few years had been made irrelevant by the appearance of Minion. That didn't mean his plan would not come to pass, just that it would be difficult to achieve.

"The Earth's Fire will take you to Crystal. I have loaded the flight procedures into your helmets."

Alpha scurried around making the final preparations. Eventually they hoped to create a basic controller for the ship that any Ranger could use whether morphed or powered down. For now though they had to rely on the Power enhanced reflexes of the Rangers to do the job.

"The journey will take two days," Zordon told them. "You will then have one day to find the cure and another two days to return."

"Five days," Kat said. "How do we explain that to my parents?"

Tanya had been living with Kat and her family since arriving in Angel Grove and had been accepted by both her parents and sister as part of the family. Both girls looked at Zordon and waited for him to tell them what they knew they had to do.

"You will need to tell your parents where you are going," the White Master agreed. "If you are forced to you may also reveal your secret."

"Maybe not," Tanya said. "Maybe we just need to arrange a visit to Aunt Ashalla."

The comment made sense. Ashalla knew about Tanya's identity and had kept in touch with Tanya by mail. With the correct timing it would be easy to get the older woman to help them.

"Very well," Zordon agreed, glad that they had avoided unnecessary disclosure.

While Tanya and Kat teleported away to set things up, Zordon turned his attention to the injured Jason. The boy's life was in the hands of his fellow Rangers and worse still, a flower that might not exist anymore.

* * *

Two Days Later

Darkness, stretching out in all directions... as far as the eye could see, an endless expanse of nothingness. How long had it been? Here, in this dreamlike state, time had seemingly ceased to exist. Seconds passed like minutes, or perhaps minutes passed as seconds? Nothing made sense anymore. Here he was forced to stay, as his mind weaved in and out of memories and dreams. But it had been so long, the difference between truth and fiction was fast becoming nearly indistinguishable.

But suddenly, his surroundings changed. He became lost in a whirlwind of colour and noise. Millions of sounds seemed to compress into one loud and bizarre echo. He dropped to his knees as he covered his ears tightly. The sound, it was unbearable.

He braced himself ready for the attack he had learnt to expect. It was becoming a normal part of his routine, first the noise would sound and then the attack would come. His mind couldn't comprehend the true essence of what his eyes told him, so it simplified it to a form he could understand; a creature of darkness with sharp fangs, no face and a touch that froze his lungs. So far he had been lucky, but with each attempt Jason grew weaker and whatever it was became real.

* * *

"Zordon?" Kat asked nervously. The communicator remained silent for a while.

"Alpha, you must sedate him..."

"Ai-yi-yi..."

The static cleared occasionally as the screen flashed from the explosions. The noise carried over the communicator and then it was silent again.

"Zordon?" Kat asked again.

The slightly battered form of Alpha Five appeared on the screen and it took Kat a few minutes to realise that the small robot was not in the Power Chamber.

"Sorry Rangers," he said. He sounded nervous. "Jason had..."

"Alpha!" Zordon boomed.

"Everything's fine now," Alpha said after talking to Zordon for a moment. "Jason just had a nightmare."

Kat smiled, relieved to know they were all right, although she knew Alpha had been holding something back. There had been a nasty if rather comical dent in the machine's head.

At the Power Chamber Alpha sighed as he shutoff the remote Viewing Globe and turned back towards the war zone that had once been the Power Chamber. Jason's small nightmare had somehow caused the unconscious youth to access his powers, morph and fight an enemy that existed only in his mind. In his delusional state he had struck out at anything including Alpha. Eventually they had found a way to demorph him and Alpha had quickly sedated him.

Zordon had witnessed the events while unable to intervene. He had ordered Alpha to secure the former Red Ranger within a force field once the talk with Tanya and Kat had ended. The power had been amazing if deadly. Zordon had clearly seen the powers change as Jason had fought and as they had done so, so had Jason's actions.

So it had been an easy decision once things had calmed down to ensure Jason was restricted within the force field. There was still the question though of just whom or what the boy had believed he was fighting.

"Alpha how are the other Rangers progressing?" Zordon asked.

They had all wanted to accompany Kat and Tanya, but in the end that had not been feasible. Today they were in battle against a large worm.

* * *

Planet Crystal

The landing had not been bad, but scrambling free of the wreckage had been difficult. Still, Billy had managed.

"Zordon, Alpha, can you hear me?" he called, hoping his communicator would reach Earth. There was silence.

With a sigh he made to explore his temporary home when he saw somebody ahead of him.

"Oh it's you," he said, relief crossing his face. "What are you doing here?" He was too far away to be heard though. One thing was certain, he was saved.

* * *

He could still hear Kat's voice, begging him to come back, telling him how much they loved him, and asking God to send him back. The black nothingness of death was behind him now, but still pulling him toward oblivion. The virus was still acting even though he wanted to live more than anything; his wants had very little bearing on how events played out. He felt he was caught in a struggle between life and death. He was in that struggle and the outcome was not at all clear to him. It seemed that he was in a timeless place where the drama of life and death could go on forever. He felt himself growing weak in his struggle to live. The virus wanted death, wanted death too strongly.

Yet, every time the blackness seemed to be getting the upper hand, he could hear Kat and Tanya calling him back, if not their words, pleading with him, pleading to the God for his life. He could feel Zordon's presence near him, he could even feel his touch, a touch that seemed like a burning fire on ice, the coldness of death lay over his whole body. That he could even feel Zordon's touch was a sign of how near to death he had become for even if he wanted to, Zordon could never touch anyone.

Finally he sank, exhausted, knowing that the blackness would overcome him. He cried: he cried because of his cowardice; he cried for his lost life. He cried for all those he could not protect and his fellow Rangers who would be forced to carry on in his absence. He prayed that should he die they would know that he wanted them to carry on.

Then his awareness was swallowed into oblivion.

* * *

Slowly the darkness disappeared, displaced by the light that seeped in slowly at first, but then with increasing speed. The intensity of the light grew stronger and stronger, aided by the impeccably white surroundings.

Jason watched these changes, but saw nothing. He seemed almost to be in some sort of trance. When the transformation finally ceased, he fell down on the ground, but awoke with a start. He had no recollection of anything. Stranger still was his ignorance of the fact that he was still only in a dream. To him, everything that transpired now was real.

He shivered. ~It's so cold, ~ he thought drowsily to himself. He stood up slowly, and finally discovered the reason behind the frosty temperature. Everywhere around him was covered thickly with snow. He brushed the snow off his back quickly as surveyed his surroundings.

"Where am I?" he voiced his thoughts aloud. So far it seemed that he was alone. He shivered again, shying away from the arctic wind that blew past him. He couldn't think how he had gotten there. It confused and scared him that he couldn't remember anything.

The snow crunched beneath his shoes as he continued forward. ~I wish I knew where I was going,~ he thought. He really had no choice but to go forward.

He rubbed his arms vigorously in an attempt to keep warm. Jeans and a sleeveless shirt were not exactly an optimal outfit for keeping warm on a wintry day in the arctic weather. Still, he trekked forward through the snow slowly, but with increasing difficulty as the drifts were becoming deeper and deeper.

He stopped in place as he looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were rolling in from the south, eclipsing the sun, which seemed to radiate no warmth, only the blinding light reflected by the snow. As of now it was not snowing, and he hoped it would remain as such. Being caught in a snowstorm was not his idea of fun.

He looked back down, but he realised something was wrong. So very wrong.

A chilling fear, colder than the wintry temperature, gripped him as he stared at the snow. It was no longer white. Somehow it had changed to a shade of red. Only one reason presented itself to him, one he didn't he didn't want to believe, and one that he refused to acknowledge as a possibility.

He finally forced herself to step forward and follow the scarlet trail. ~Nothing's wrong,~ he told to himself. ~It can't be. Everything is fine,~ he lied to himself. But even he didn't believe his own lie. He knew he wouldn't feel so terrified if everything was indeed fine.

The shade of the snow became darker and darker red, crimson in colour. But still, the source remained unknown.

Moments later, his search was over. He found what she was looking for or more importantly, who he was looking for.

"T-Tanya," his voice quivered as he spoke. His eyes were wide, his expression terrified.

She was laying face down in the snow, but the scarlet trail ended where she was.

"Oh god," he whimpered. "Tanya."

He dropped down to his knees in the snow. This was too much. It was too much for him.

"Tanya, wake up," he pleaded, crawling closer to her.

The body remained motionless and it was only the beginning; he knew there were more bodies to find. He found Alpha not too far away, the little android's head dented beyond recognition. He was afraid to touch him, but knew that whether he did so or not it would make little difference. Alpha was gone. The glass the machine held in his battered hand was all that Jason expected to find of Zordon, he was wrong.

And finally Kat, beautiful Kat, the light of his best friend's world, lay motionless with her uniform torn to shreds. He reached out to touch her and wished he had remained still. Kat's skin was like ice.

He ran no longer wanting to see them, trying to make himself believe he had not seen them. If he didn't know, then he could pretend that nothing was wrong. He could pretend that they were fine. Pretend that nothing was wrong.

As he ran, he finally reached him and the sight brought him to his knees once more. Zordon of Eltare lay lifeless before him. There was no noble warrior, just the head that the Rangers had long associated with their mentor. He stared for a moment, his eyes huge. He drew a quivery breath before reaching out to him. Immediately he retracted his hand. He was cold, so very cold.

"Zordon," he repeated insistently. "Zordon, wake up. I need you." His voice broke in the middle of the sentence. At last he reached out to him again. He pulled him over gently. He bit his lip hard as he struggled to keep from crying. ~Tanya, Kat, Alpha and Zordon, all gone. Why bother to fight anymore? ~

"This is not happening," he repeated to himself over and over again. He buried his face in his hands. "This is not happening."

And as he sat there despairing he failed to see the blackness that once more threatened to consume him.

* * *

The ship plummeted from space, through the atmosphere of the small planet.

"Hold on to something!" Tanya shouted over the noise of the ship.

"I-I'm t-t-trying t-to," stuttered Kat as the ship vibrated violently. They should have taken a seat and buckled up a while ago, but the sudden descent had come much more quickly than they had anticipated and had caught them both by surprise.

They braced themselves for the impact that would inevitably strike the ship as they landed, but it did not come. Zordon had built the Earth's Fire well and at the last moment it stopped and gently settled on the surface. Even so after the shock of free fall the stop had its own effects. Kat lost her grip on the chair she had been clinging to frantically and was knocked back against the door of the control room.

"Ow!" she exclaimed indignantly. Tanya, however, had managed to stay standing and was already surveying the land around them through the window. ~No fair,~ thought Kat, ~why am I always the one who falls?~ Though that wasn't entirely true, Adam was klutzier than she was at times. ~But then how many times has Adam called Tommy for help?~

"Come on," Tanya prompted in her usual manner. "Let's go."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," muttered Kat as she stood up slowly, rubbing the back of her head.

She moved to the console and checked the atmosphere outside. When it appeared safe, Tanya punched a few buttons on a panel near the door, opening it. She stepped outside cautiously, but as far as she could tell, there was nothing wrong.

Kat appeared next to her a moment later.

"Not bad," she commented as she noticed how the ship had landed. "We're not going to get far on foot though."

True enough the landscape was filled with chasms caused by the destruction of the planet's core.

"Cyber Sliders, online!" Tanya called, referring to the hovering skateboards Alpha had placed in the storage bay.

By mutual agreement they took off in opposite directions. They didn't know where to start looking but they at least knew that it had to be someplace where plants could grow.

"Any ideas as to where we should look?" questioned Tanya over her communicator.

"Um... maybe near some water," suggested Kat. It stood to reason that for a flower to survive there must be a source of water somewhere.

"Good idea," acknowledged Tanya. They continued in silence. At least now they knew what to look for, a river, a lake, some other source of water. At least they had something to go on.

* * *

Five hours later, the search for water continued. At first glance, the planet had appeared rather small, but it had proven itself to be large enough to slow their expedition tremendously. They had reunited and taken to flying over the arid, desert-like terrain quickly.

"Hey look!" shouted Kat, excitedly.

"What is it?" questioned Tanya, hopefully.

"There, see?" replied Kat, pointed towards the east. "See it? There looks like there's a forest there or something."

"Hey, you're right!"

They picked up their speed considerably and reached the forest-like area quickly. Tanya remained hovering high over it for a moment as she took in the surroundings. The forest stretched only a limited distance, maybe five miles on each side, surrounded on all sides by more of the desert area.

"It's got to be here," she reasoned to herself.

"See anything?" called out Kat from below.

"No. Let's split up," suggested Tanya.

"All right. We'll meet back here in two hours," said Kat as she wandered into the forest by herself. They would cover more ground this way than they would if they searched together.

Tanya slowly dropped to the ground, surveying the land around her as she descended. She saw a waterfall a short distance away, and that was where she was headed.

She walked silently through the forest, taking in everything in a glance. There seemed to be no other form of life on this planet. They had seen absolutely no traces of any sort of life besides the vegetation that was so scarce. But then again, the planet's climate seemed hostile towards supporting life. The heat was stifling, and excluding this forest, there was no shade anywhere.

That had not always been the case. The files on the Earth's Fire had revealed how Crystal had once been a popular world to visit filled with many types of wildlife.

For some reason, walking through the forest alone like this reminded her of the first day Jason had gone to school with them after returning from the Peace Conference. She smiled at the memory. He had been so lost about everything, clueless really. So much had changed since the days when he had been there with Zack and Trini. Kat remembered it had been the first time Jason had looked remotely vulnerable. But he did exceptionally well at fitting in and he excelled at the schoolwork itself, which was rather surprising considering that the time he had spent away from regular study.

But then Jason was not the shy type and very little phased him for long. It had taken a few days but by the end of the first week he had reacquainted himself with many of his old friends and his relationship with Tommy and Billy had seemed stronger than ever.

Tanya continued searching the flora of the forest carefully, but she could see nothing that resembled a rose. In fact, there seemed to be no flowers at all. Nonetheless, she continued forward resolutely. Moments later she reached the waterfall.

The water roared as it fell upon the rocks below. The noise was deafening, but Tanya finally saw something that assured her that she was headed in the right direction. Near the base of the waterfall were small yellowish flowers.

"Yes," she celebrated to himself. She considered leaving to look for Kat, but decided against it as she had no way of knowing if the flower really was nearby.

And so for the next hour she searched, and searched, and searched, and searched. Still, she couldn't find it.

"This doesn't make sense," she spoke to herself. "It has to be around here somewhere."

If only Zordon had given them more information to go on, but they still hadn't been able to contact him again.

Tanya stood still for a moment as she considered what to do next. She had searched everywhere at the base of the waterfall as well as the area at the top of the cascade, and she had come up empty. There had to be somewhere she wasn't looking. Someplace she hadn't checked yet. ~Perhaps somewhere where the flower would be safe from those who would steal it?~ The computer had revealed that the roots of the flower were capable of restoring the planet in time. ~It's a shame time might not be on the flower's side.~

She flew up close to the waterfall, the water quickly soaking her Cyber Slider. Something had caught her attention, and she wasn't about to let a little water stop her.

Behind the waterfall was a small cave, shallow enough to be sufficiently lit by the light that shone through the water.

"It has to be here," she repeated to herself, as she slipped behind the waterfall and into the mouth of the cave. The air felt damp and humid, but there were a few species of flowers that he no yet seen growing within the cave. Finally in the deepest corner of the cave s he saw a ray of light, and at last he found the flower she sought.

* * *

"Tired, tired, tired," repeated Kat to herself as she walked forward numbly. She felt as though she had been walking for ages. It wouldn't have been nearly so bad if it hadn't been so very hot. Even the trees couldn't lessen the blazing temperature much. Neither Kat nor Tanya had noticed how thin the Oxygen had become.

It had been nearly seven hours since they had left their ship. She had nothing to show for her long search and was now making her way back. She could only hope that Tanya had been more successful.

Kat tilted her head back to observe the sky. There were two suns in the sky, and presumably there were still more elsewhere on the planet. The suns of this planet were closer than the sun was to the earth; thus making the temperature much higher than it usually was on earth. And on top of that, there was not a cloud in the sky.

Finally she made it back to the spot where they had agreed to meet. There was no sign of Tanya yet, a good indication that just maybe she was close to finding it.

Then, Kat heard the leaves rustle somewhere nearby. She tensed immediately. They had seen no traces of anything living besides the vegetation, and there was no wind blowing. Something else must have made that noise.

BOING!

Kat screamed.

* * *

Fifteen minutes after she had entered the cave; Tanya was leaving with a handful of the flowers. She wasn't sure how many they would need or even what part of the flower they needed, but she would rather have too many than not enough. She had made sure that there were enough left to survive.

The Blue Flowers of Crystal did have a striking resemblance to a rose except for being blue. She assumed that the flower had no thorns because there was nothing to protect itself from on this planet. It had been growing underneath a beam of light that was let in through a small opening on the roof of the cave. She had missed the small hole while she had been exploring the area at the top of the waterfall. No doubt the flower had needed both a good deal of water and sunlight to survive.

Tanya continued on her way back in good spirits. She couldn't wait to show Kat that she had found the flower. It had taken them much less time than they had expected to find it, and now they could head back. If all went well, they would be back with plenty of time to spare.

Tanya counted back the days in her mind quickly, and was happy with the result.

~Now all we have to do is get home,~ thought Tanya.

Then she heard Kat scream.

* * *

Later, it had to have been later, but time meant nothing in this place, he became aware again. He could see the blackness of death was still in this place with him, but it seemed farther away than before. He still felt the iciness of death throughout his body, but somewhere within; there was a glow, a spot of warmth. He felt nothing beyond the coldness and the tiny warm glow, the tiny spark of life within. He didn't know how, because he could feel nothing outside himself, but he knew that something had changed. Kat and Tanya had left to find something to help him and that had given him the strength to fight once more.

He started to relax his vigil against the blackness and it started advancing again. Once again, all the strength left in him focussed on running from death to life. He willed himself to keep going, to keep running, to crawl if need be, to escape that blackness. He fought until he had once again left the blackness behind and, once again, sank into the place of unawareness. But he was not dead yet! There was still hope that if he struggled hard enough, he could escape death and return to the Land of the Living. Power Rangers did not die that easily.

* * *

Kat listened warily for another sound. A full minute had passed since he had last heard anything, and she was beginning to wonder whether her mind was playing tricks on him. But she was certain she had seen something and that it had not been friendly.

BOING!

This time she was certain she heard it and that it was going to crush her.

"Behold the Stomper!" the thing said.

Kat stared at the blue skinned creature for a moment as she tried to decide what it was. Its head, neck and shoulders were covered in silver armour, its body was red and its legs green. It crouched and then leapt into the air. When it landed the ground quaked.

"I stomp you!"

BOING!

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!" Kat called.

She barely moved as the Stomper crashed through her Cyber Slider. Powered by the Gem Coin, Kat started a deadly game of hit and run as she used her Gem Coin Pistol to wear down the Stomper.

Something yellow flashed past as Tanya connected with her own move. The Stomper landed on his back and struggled to get back up, but like a crab he was stranded. The ground beneath opened under his weight and the trauma caused by his jumping. A moment later he had fallen into what remained of the molten core.

* * *

He became aware again. Who knew how long he had been unaware? There is no time in this place. As he looked about him, he discovered the blackness had drawn nearer than it had been when he lost awareness, but it was not nearly where it had been before his friends had given him strength. Once again - how did he know? He felt nothing, yet he did - he knew that Tanya had kissed him on the forehead. As her lips touched him, he felt a sudden surge of strength and the blackness immediately retreated. As Kat place her hand on his shoulder and began speaking - he still could not make out the words, but the message was clear - he looked ahead and saw, not blackness and not light, but a greyness that seemed to have substance.

* * *

The noise took both Rangers by surprise and they spun around trying to find the source.

"Who's there?" Pink Gem Coin asked uncertainly. But if the source of the noise were some inhabitant of Planet Crystal, then they would most likely be unable to understand her even with the Power to act as a translator. In any case, she had to at least try to find out what had made the noise.

"Kat, head's up!" called out Tanya as she suddenly appeared above Kat on her Cyber Slider. She had decided the easiest way to see was to get an aerial view.

"Hey did you just hear something?" asked Kat. She didn't wait for an answer however because she caught sight of the blue flowers Tanya carried. "You found it?"

"You bet," answered Tanya, "just a few minutes ago."

"Where'd you find it?" asked Kat. "I looked all over the place - everywhere - but I couldn't even find any flowers."

"Find what?" asked a familiar voice. "Of course the Blue Rose of Crystal requires four substantial ingredients to ensure successful cultivation. Water, Fertiliser, Soil and the Pot made by a

Grid Master to focus the magical powers of the planet. The flower requires intense bursts of solar energy and liquid refreshment. And might I

add..."

Kat's eyes grew wide as he turned around. ~It can't be,~ she thought. The look of surprise on Kat's face showed just how unexpected this turn of events was. She had thought of her friend frequently since he had left them, but never expected him to be here.

"BILLY!" Kat and Tanya cried as they embraced their former comrade.

"What are you doing here?" questioned Kat, astounded.

"Tanya, Kat?" Billy grinned as he recognised his friends, "I was just floating by and thought I'd drop in." He looked them over. "What are you wearing?"

"But I thought - weren't you - how did you -" Kat tried to ask, but the many questions came out incomplete.

"Whoa, slow down there," laughed Billy.

Kat grinned sheepishly as she tried again, "I thought you were still on Aquitar. How did you know?"

Billy's face changed and a look of anger could be detected for a few seconds. He recovered quickly though.

"Aquitar has been attacked," he said finally. "I managed to escape and ended up here. Now, why are you here?"

They filled him in and Billy's face fell.

"We need to get this back to him. Unless you want to stay here longer."

"No!" answered Kat and Tanya hurriedly.

Billy chuckled. He pulled out a strange controller and pressed a few buttons. The Earth's Fire could be seen flying over the horizon under perfect control. "Multifunction remote control," he told them as he took their hands and the three of them teleported to the Earth's Fire, which then left Crystal for home.

* * *

He knew that he was alive and would live when sheer terror struck him. He felt as though a steel band had been placed around his chest. He couldn't breathe! Some demon had been torturing him with the belief that he was going to live. Now he would die! All his dreams, all his struggles were just that, dreams, foolish dreams. He fell to the ground, tears streaming, but not weeping since he couldn't breathe. As hard as he tried, he could not get his lungs to pull air into his body. He heard the darkness laughing.

He felt himself floating and as he stared down he could see his body on the bed. He tried to go back, but his way was blocked. All he felt was pain as if fire ants were consuming him. As he pulled away, the ants ceased their attack. He tried again, but couldn't get past the pain, which grew steadily worse the longer he tried to return. Desperate to end the pain, he retreated, but that was no longer an option.

Blocking his retreat was a large black scale with huge scales and sharp fangs. Its eyes were emerald green. He turned to run, but a swift swipe from its tail knocked him to the ground.

The scene changed. No longer was he in the Power Chamber; he was in a large garden surrounded by plants and trees. It was the perfect hiding ground for a snake.

His instinct to survive took over as he seized a large log and wielded it like a club. He looked around nervously, waiting for it to strike. When it did, it came not from the side, but from below. The snake burst through the ground and tried to catch Jason off guard. The former Red Ranger moved in time, but the fangs tore into his clothes and he was hurled into the air.

Jason landed hard on his leg, the impact causing fruit to fall from a nearby tree. He swiftly jammed the log into the snake's mouth as it tried to catch him a second time. He rolled uncomfortably as the log shattered into splinters and sprayed towards him. The snake seemed to howl in pain as several pieces on the log jammed in its tongue.

"Yyyyyouuu cannnnot esssssss-cape meeeeeee Jassssss-on," it hissed.

Its tail swiped at his legs again and there was a loud crack from his left knee. Jason howled as he struggled to remain upright. His scream grew louder as the tail wrapped around him and squeezed.

"Jason!"

He knew Tommy's voice even in this strange place. He looked for his friend but only for a moment; the snake's squeezing was occupying most of his attention.

Then he saw them, Tommy and Trey, ready to help him. They raised their hands and lightning streaked towards him; Tommy fired green lightning while Trey unleashed bolts of gold lightning. The pain he had felt from the snake was nothing compared to the pain Tommy and Trey inflicted. The lightning continued until he felt he couldn't take it anymore. If he had been alive, he would have morphed, but he was dead and the lightning continued.

A few more bolts and Jason couldn't take anymore. His body bursting with the excess electrical energy, his anger and will to win never higher, he knew he couldn't give up.

"Gold Ranger Power!"

He morphed.

Somehow Tommy and Trey had given Jason the means to fight on. The pain they had inflicted had caused his body to transform. The Power flowed into him, overloading him for an instant before the safeguards triggered his powers.

The snake hissed loudly and tightened its grip. Despite having a sword Jason couldn't use it due to the position of his arms. As strong as he was when morphed, he couldn't break free. He just wasn't strong enough. He could feel the pain in his head from the overload he had subjected it to. He was short of time and desperate, the coils were growing tighter by the second. With nothing to lose he threw his sword towards the ground and was rewarded when it pierced the snake's tail. For a moment the pressure ceased and he was able to free fall to the ground.

He swiftly retrieved his broadsword now he was able to use it. As the snake attacked again, he ducked and drove his sword into its throat. The snake exploded and Jason was returned to the darkness.

* * *

Minion's Island, Gulf of Mexico

The installation was complete and the charging of Serpenterra's new reactor had started. Venjix it seemed had developed an amazing knowledge of the machine as he had helped Bronzo upgrade some of Zedd's more antiquated technology. Most magical wielding villains did not both themselves with technology. It was easy for Minion to see why.

Minion was pleased with the progress he had made. The delay had been unfortunate, but sending Arcana to battle the Rangers and keeping the rest of the team off balance had meant that they had not benefited from his misfortune. And in the meantime he had been able to set yet another plan into motion.

~ Let them continue to believe they won this round, when the time is right they will discover that Minion doesn't lose unless Minion desires to lose.~

"You have done well, Arcana," he said, looking over the battered wizard. He suspected the Rangers thought they had seen the last of the spell weaver. How wrong they were. "Now, go and get cleaned up. Minion has other business to attend to."

**End **


	10. Fall of an Order

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Fall of an Order

Triforia

The system had changed since the fatal day when the peace of the Triforian System and the once proud Royal Family had been destroyed. Although it was a matter of days, maybe a few weeks at most on Earth, time on Triforia passed at a faster pace; the uprising had occurred almost five months ago. The King was officially dead, the Queen and both her daughters placed under protective custody, which in reality was house arrest.

As far as the people of Triforia were aware, the uprising had been a coup attempt by Trey, the heir to the throne and current Gold Ranger; news broadcasts had told the tragic tale of how he had been corrupted by the Earthlings he had become involved with. He had hired an invasion force consisting of mercenaries paid to usurp the King and place a puppet government led by his mother on the throne.

How Trey had managed to subvert the Queen of Triforia and his sisters was unknown, but for the protection of the people the three women had been placed in the custody of the government.

Indeed, according to the news networks and official sources, the people had been lucky that the King's adopted son had uncovered Trey's plot and taken steps to intervene. In doing so he had saved the people of Triforia. Terr or King Terr as he preferred to be known, had chased the invaders from his world and seen to it that Trey had been taken into custody. Even though he had been begged to assume the role as king, he had refused until Trey had been made to see the error of his ways and signed over power. So far Trey had not been willing to cooperate.

Of course while Trey was being rehabilitated, the system had been placed on high alert. The old Triforian regime had been reborn to quell any attempts by Trey's collaborators to threaten their society. Armed guardsmen, some of whom closely resembled the usurpers, patrolled the populated areas suppressing any intentions of treason. There had been many swift executions since Trey's arrest, but still the planet was no closer to crowning its new ruler.

It surprised Trent as he tried to sleep, that after all the Gold Ranger had done for his people, they had willingly turned on him. Few had been willing to question Terr's story and those who did were too scared to stand up against the real traitor. The Triforian Order, an illegal body of outcasts, who preferred the name: Triforian Guardians, had been handed the planet without a fight.

The Order was made up of murderers, rapists and soldiers guilty of crimes that would make Rita Repulsa sick. Terr was their leader, in some ways their most twisted member, and it was he who had murdered the King, before pinning the blame on the Gold Ranger.

Trey had been off-planet during the invasion and despite an attack that had forced Trent, Travis and Trey to split up. When Trent had arrived on Triforia, Terr had assumed he was Trey and having already provided false evidence, had ordered his imprisonment.

But Terr was not as clever as he believed and although he had made it his business to study the Earth, he had not studied Trey's activities while he was on the planet. Had he done so he would have known that Trey had been permanently split into the three manifestations of his soul. Instead of just Trey of Triforia, there were now Trey, Trent and Travis. While Trey had retained the qualities, memories and the behaviour that his people admired, Trent and Travis had evolved into their own beings. Of course with Travis and Trey missing, Terr was none-the-wiser and Trent had no intention of correcting the misunderstanding.

There was a good reason why Trent had not been given a swift trial followed by immediate execution. Terr wanted the Golden Power Staff, the symbol of the Gold Ranger powers. More importantly, he needed the forgiveness only a member of the Royal Family could give in order for his own claim on the throne to be accepted within the Galactic Council. Only the current holder of the staff could pass it to a successor. Otherwise, the Golden Power Staff would be sent to the

Grid Masters of Eltare to select a new avatar; there was no way the Morphin Council would choose Terr.

Not that Trent could hand over the Golden Power Staff anyway. The staff belonged to the Gold Ranger and that was not Trent. When they had been separated, the entire Gold Ranger powers had transferred to Trey and while in times of need Trent could call on the powers, he did not wish to do so. That meant that no matter how much Terr threatened, persuaded or tortured his prisoner, Trent could never give in; of course it was fortunate Terr did not know the truth or Trent's life would have already ended.

Over the weeks Terr's most loyal servants had attempted to learn the secret of how to get the Golden Power Staff. Tristan, Trey's cousin and Terr's partner in crime had executed innocents in the hope that Trent's compassion would force him to reveal the answers. But Trent knew the horrors Terr had planned and compared to that, a few lives was the lesser of two evils. Neon, one of Terr's more violent cronies had used more direct means to extract the information. A large hammer Neon had repeatedly slammed into his knee had shattered Trent's leg. Greta, a hideously deformed hag, had used truth potions that were guaranteed to work, but had asked the wrong questions. And Valon, a sick and twisted former servant of the old king, had inflicted countless injuries on his prisoner, including a hole that had been burnt through Trent's hand.

The hope of release was gone and Trent wanted only death. In his powerless state he defied Terr by simply being unable to answer the fake king's questions.

* * *

"People of Triforia." Terr said, addressing the assembled people from the balcony and those watching from their homes. "I know that there are some of you are wondering why I have chosen to address you at this time. I do so bearing bad news for our people. When I was asked to become King of Triforia, I refused until such time that I had helped Trey to recognise his sins and correct some of the injustice he has caused."

There were some murmurs from the crowd, but as Terr's guards moved about, ready to pounce on any sign of insurrection they fell silent. Each guard held a heavy stun baton; a security precaution Terr had insisted on using whenever he addressed a crowd.

"I know many of you will be saddened to learn that the corruption of our beloved Trey is absolute. Not only did he orchestrate the deaths of his father and his own Ranger team; he has deliberately rendered Triforia's greatest defence inoperable. How, you might ask. I regret to tell you that Trey has corrupted the power of the Golden Power Staff to such an extent that only he can command it. He has refused to surrender the powers to our planet's defenders or even acknowledge his crimes. I am sorry that I have failed you."

As Terr had hoped, the crowd was outraged at the suggestion that Trey would leave them so vulnerable. Many started to boo the former Lord of Triforia until Terr held up his hand and the people quietened.

"But never let it be said that I do not try to grant the wishes of the people." Terr said with false modesty. "I have been unable to redeem Trey, but I will punish him for his actions. Trey will be executed as soon as it can be arranged. His rights and powers shall be stripped from him and as sanctioned by law, given to his cousin Tristan until such time that a new king can be appointed."

"Hail King Terr!" a peasant the Order had paid off shouted.

It was enough as slowly the other peasants picked up the chant.

"I will humbly accept your wishes if that is what you desire," Terr said. "When Trey has been punished, I will accept my role as your king."

* * *

Inside the Triforian Royal Chamber, Terr's allies Valon, Neon and Greta extended their greetings to Terr, congratulating him on a successful 'transition' of power.

"Well done your highness." Greta said. "No one can dispute your claim now."

"Thank you." Terr said. "A great idea of yours if I must say so Tristan. While only the king can abdicate the throne, an uncrowned king can be stripped of his position if the people agree. My first act will be to remove such ridiculous laws."

"Now Cousin," Tristan said. "That law was never intended to be used in that way and you know it. We are lucky that those who knew the law were amongst those you had executed. Besides, there are more important issues to be addressed. We will need an army to fight off any advances by the Council or the Alliance."

"It shall be done," Valon said. "Of course if we had the Golden Power Staff we could just wipe out both sides."

"And if you knew what I have discovered, you would not worry about the staff anymore. I have found a replacement weapon."

* * *

They had made a mistake and for the first time in ages Trent felt as if he had a chance. During one of the many torture sessions he had been forced to endure at the hands of his guards, a metal cane had been used on his shattered leg. The pain had been terrible, but the result had been favourable. When they had left the cell they had forgotten to take the cane with them and although he was chained, he was able to reach the piece of metal.

It had been designed to inflict pain and as such, its thickness varied along the length. The tip was a very thin piece of wire intended to break the skin, while the rest grew thicker to deliver heavy blows. While the heavy end was a useful weapon, the tip was his ticket out of his shackles. He used the thin wire to pick the lock and after some very unsuccessful attempts, he managed to free his hands and then his ankles. He hobbled to the door, well aware of the nagging pain in his leg. He knew the odds of escaping were against him, but then he had no real intention of survival. His mission had changed when he had heard one of the guards mention Terr's plans. Now instead of escape his mission was to disable whatever weapon Terr had discovered before he could use it.

Trey had the Golden Power Staff and Pyramidas, which as Trent knew, was the most powerful weapon the Triforians possessed. However there were other weapons that could prove equally potent if Terr were allowed to use them. For a moment he remembered the stories his father had told him of a great space cannon built during the old times, which had later been hidden deep within Triforia's main sun. If that was the weapon that Terr had mentioned they were in serious trouble. Not only was the weapon capable of destroying anything in its path, the risk to Triforia itself was huge. Sadly Terr was in Trent's opinion crazy enough to attempt firing such a monstrous weapon.

He waited until the guards checked his cell, at which point he hid behind the door. When they noticed the empty shackles, the two men moved inside the door to investigate. Trent struck quickly, using the cane to stun one guard and his momentum to knock the other one to the ground. He picked up one of their weapons and used it to prevent them from waking up anytime soon. Then he used their personal teleporter keys to vanish from the cells and into the sewer system under the city.

* * *

Not all resistance had been crushed in the Triforia System. There were pockets of fighters loyal to the Royal Family who knew that Terr had been lying to them. They moved secretly, unable to speak outside of their own group through fear that Terr's spies would find them. They used their contacts on the other planets to monitor Terr's activities, but only attacked when lives were threatened.

Tresan was the leader of his resistance cell based right in the center of the Triforia capital. He was a former palace guard who had fled rather than face the death sentence that many of his fellow guards had received. He was responsible for collecting supplies and raising an army to strike at the right time and hopefully eliminate Terr.

At the moment though he was more concerned with dealing with one of Terr's hunting parties. His men had detected a teleport into the sewer system where they were hidden. It was obviously a party sent out to destroy them and had to be dealt with swiftly. Due to the urgency Tresan had led the attack himself, using only former guards as backup.

They had already rigged explosives in their area, using the methane produced in the sewer to make it seem like an accident. It only required one of the intruders to trip a piece of wire planted beneath the water line. So far though the charges had not been triggered, something that made Tresan suspicious. Next to him he felt Dappa tense.

"Hear something?" he asked.

Dappa had exceptional hearing that allowing him to detect anyone sneaking up on him. He nodded and then gestured to their left. Sure enough a lone figure could be seen limping through the water.

"He's alone," one of the other guards whispered.

Tresan nodded and gestured for his followers to seize the man. A prisoner could give them more information than a corpse.

As they attacked Tresan noted that something was wrong. The invader did not seem scared and even moved into a very crude fighting stance. Instead of drawing a weapon like most hunters, he used a punishment cane to trip his first two attackers and to disarm a third. Then he tried to shuffle away on one leg; the other dragged along behind him.

One of the guards caught the invader around the ankles and forced him face-down as another slammed the butt of his rifle into the man's skull.

"Turn him over," Tresan ordered, "We don't want him to drown just yet."

His men did as they were told, gasping as the face of their invader was revealed.

* * *

The prisoner's escape had not gone unnoticed and a search was underway. The guard who had carried his teleporter into the cell conveniently forgot to mention it, choosing instead to blame the torturers and Trey's knowledge of the secret passages throughout the palace; after all he had no intention of being killed for his stupidity.

Terr had ordered a search of the palace grounds, but had been keen to keep the activity quiet. The last thing he wanted was the people to discover Trey had escaped and start their own searches. If they found him, they would know the conditions he had been kept in and start to doubt Terr's position. That could not be allowed until he became king.

An explosion rocked the city, sending man sewer covers into the air. Guards moved to investigate and returned with a charred arm and a piece of the clothing Trey had been wearing. Terr smiled, things were looking up.

* * *

News spread through Triforia and its sister planets over the next few days. The news of Trey's escape had been altered to make it look like the last dash of a madman followed by a fatal explosion when he had encountered a pocket of sewer gas. Terr had announced that after he had been allowed a few days to mourn their beloved hero he would accept his role as king. At the same time he planned to unveil his new weapon. But Terr had in a moment of poor judgement made an error that would haunt him. He had pardoned Trent of all the crimes he was accused of.

Members of the resistance had at first believed the story, but when a message arrived at their outposts stating that Tresan was still going to remove Terr from power, they had pledged their allegiance to the resistance leader.

Trent had spent the days recovering from his ordeal and advising Tresan. His leg had been beyond repair by either magical or conventional means, but they had at least managed to numb the pain and fit it with a brace so Trent could walk. In turn he had told them the truth about Trey of Triforia and the Gold Ranger powers. They were of course saddened by the news that their beloved leader was not there to help them, but they agreed that Trent should continue to portray Trey until Terr was removed.

Phonon, one of the men who had dealt with the remains of the former Triforian Rangers had revealed a small secret he had been keeping. He had managed to find the remains of the Triforian Power Coin and had over the weeks managed to fit it back together. They gave the coin to Trent as a token of the respect he still deserved.

"Our first objective is to destroy Terr," Trent said, "But we must ensure that no matter what happens, that the weapon he has found is destroyed. I suspect that he has uncovered one of the old planetary defence systems and until that weapon is taken from him, there is nothing to stop another Terr from rising to attempt the same goal."

"That's easier said than done," Volga, one of the snipers pointed out.

"Don't worry, I've got a good idea of how those stations work. A few charges in the right places and it'll be disabled for the time being."

"Who are you, I've never seen you before?" Von said.

Trent watched as a armoured warrior, walked calmly out of the shadows and turned to where all in the room could see him. There were several gasps as he calmly walked across the meeting room and shook hands with both Trent and Tresan.

They had good reason to act surprised. The warrior was a part of an organisation unlimited by race, planet, age or gender; that held no loyalties to any government other than its own elders, but whose loyalty and skills could be purchased for the right price. Like many other organisations they were subdivided into clans. Clan loyalties often dictated the type of job they would take. Some refused to work for the Alliance and others were considered too dirty to be dealt with by the Galactic Council. Even though they were divided by clan loyalties, some chose to specialise in their skills, forming smaller groups they referred to as guilds. Often if a clan could not be convinced to take a job, a guild could find somebody with the skills.

This man did not belong to a guild. He was trained to handle all tasks even if he was not a master at performing them. That left him the freedom to work with whomever he wanted, including the falsely accused Trey of Triforia.

For his part Trent had often heard his father speak of these mercenaries and knew that their word was their bond so long as the money was good. He also knew them to be the most unorthodox of warriors when the situation called for it.

"You think those charges will be enough to disable the weapon?" Trent asked.

"So long as nobody fixes them. The second set will blow up the pyramids, then all you have is a piece of space junk."

"My lord, this man..." one of the men protested, not sure how to voice his concern without offending their ally and angering their lord. "They never do anything for free," he finally managed.

"The fee I charged your father last time will suffice," the warrior known as the Black Falcon stated calmly. "Not a credit less."

"Agreed," Trent smiled.

"My lord, I protest. Tresan, surely you cannot agree to this."

"Lord Trent has spoken," Tresan stated. "There will be no further debate."

"I take it we have a deal then?" the mercenary asked. "I will be starting now."

He vanished from the room as the resistance carried on with their plans.

* * *

Triforia

The days of mourning passed quickly and if Terr had had his way, would soon be forgotten. Today he was ready to take the crown and with it the power to deal with anyone who opposed his rule. He watched as members of the Triforian Order moved amongst the timid crowd encouraging them to chant the name of their new king. The few who jeered him were instantly named as traitors and dragged away for punishment. Terr waved to the crowds before entering the tall cathedral where in accordance with tradition his coronation would take place.

There he sat and waited impatiently as the ceremony progressed. Leaders of the four sister planets made proclamations of loyalty to Triforia while Regional ministers swore their allegiance to Terr. The trumpeters insisted on playing the full version of their introduction as the minister droned on about the family line and decreed that Terr was worthy of becoming King of Triforia.

Then came the most important part of the ceremony where the symbols of office were handed to the new king. The Crown of Destiny, Rod of Honour and Orb of Wisdom were handed to him alongside a lecture about their significance to Triforian society. Terr of course knew the significance to Triforian society, but was more interested in the true powers of the items. As the Robe of Mercy was secured to his shoulder, he recalled the ancient legends. When the Robe was worn, it protected the wearer from the intense energy found within a Triforian space cannon; protection normally provided by the Gold Ranger powers. The Rod and Orb controlled the functions of the weapon while the Crown translated an image into a target. In short he now held the symbols of rank and the tools to ensure his continued dominance.

"If any person has reason to dispute the rightful claim of Lord Terr, speak," the minister droned. "It is tradition my lord," he added when he noticed the glare Terr was giving him.

"Well?" Terr demanded. "Does anyone here dispute my rightful claim?"

"I dispute your claim!" Trent called from the back of the cathedral where Terr's men had been unable to reach. They at once made to seize the protestor, screaming accusations. Trent calmly fought them off until the minister intervened.

"Stop this at once!" he cried. "Never has this been allowed. If he has a valid protest, we must hear it so it may be either accepted or dismissed. These claims cannot be silenced only dismissed."

"Very well," Terr agreed. "Let the traitor speak so we can proceed."

The people moved aside and allowed Trent to move towards the throne; a cloak hid his face. Behind him Trent could sense the Order members stalking him and knew that when the opportunity presented itself they would pounce.

Terr was starting to feel uneasy as he watched the robed man approach. He wondered what story this man had to tell that would be worth the risk of imprisonment. Even if he knew the truth Terr was certain the people could be convinced they were lies.

"You cannot succeed to the throne because Trey is not dead," Trent stated simply.

"Trey was a traitor to the people of Triforia. A criminal cannot be king."

"But a former criminal can," Trent pointed out. "Trey was pardoned of the crimes he was falsely accused of. He is alive and therefore the rightful king."

"Trey is dead," Terr insisted.

"On the contrary," Trent said as he pulled his cloak away. "I am quite well."

"Arrest him!" Terr cried. "I said seize him!" Terr screamed. His wonderful plan was failing.

"They can't," Trent said as the Order members hesitated. "I was cleared of the charges you falsified and as such I am king."

As Trent spoke Royal Guardsmen were rounding up the members of the Triforian Order. Terr decided that he was not going to allow the appearance of a dead king to ruin his dreams of power and after shoving Trent aside, he used the powers of the royal symbols and summoned the space cannon from deep inside Triforia's sun.

* * *

"My Lord," Neon whined when they appeared inside the cannon. "We should leave here at once. We could find allies . . ."

"Silence you fool," Terr snapped. His mind was filled only with a desire to prove himself superior to Trey. In his mind Trey would surrender if he could prove himself superior and the people would follow him without question if they feared for their lives. "I am king, I do not need to flee."

Terr's hands moved over the controls, pushing buttons and pulling levers. There was a low hum as the cannon was charged with energy from the planets below. The four sister planets' gravity twisted the solar panels to where they could capture the energy from the three suns. The focussing disks shifted into place as the mighty generators filled with energy. Terr pulled the controls to change the strength and direction of the beam.

"Now we will show them a weapon worthy of Triforia," he boasted.

Terr pushed the fire button and the beam shot into space.

* * *

"He's going to activate the weapon," Tresan said grimly.

Trent turned his attention to the mercenary. "Did you set the charges?"

The seasoned warrior smiled and held out a remote control.

"You're too late," one of the Order members proclaimed as a beam of light shot overhead.

Trent pressed the button and hoped the weapon had not been pointing at anything.

* * *

The explosives the mercenary had planted detonated swiftly and the space weapon was plunged into darkness. While the barrels of the vast weapon were strong enough to withstand anything, the lenses were not and glass rained down on the Triforia Order.

In the rubble of the Palace halls Terr picked himself up. He looked around to find an escape route, but was met by a dismal sight. Neon, Valon and Greta were plastered across the console, their body parts short-circuiting the machinery. Tristan stood in shocked silence next to them pointing at the main monitor. The orbit had shifted and the station was plunging into Triforia. If they didn't escape, they would die.

Coughing up dust, he tried to see where he was at the moment. With luck the teleport controls would be on an undamaged panel. He glanced at the screen and noted that time was running out. Looking up he saw an explosion rip one of the focussing panels from its housing, the exposed section flashed for a brief second and died out as the fires of destruction were extinguished by the cold death of space.

"They'll pay for this!" he cried as he thought of those who had ruined his perfect plan. "They'll all pay!"

He angrily slammed his fist into the controls and activated the teleport system. In a beam of light the two surviving members of the Triforia Order disappeared.

When he appeared on Triforia, Terr set off to find an enemy to kill. He didn't care if it was Trey or just some poor peasant who happened to get in his way. He wanted blood. He drew his sword from the subspace pocket he owned. It was the same sword he had used to murder his parents and the Triforian Rangers, and was as sharp and deadly as ever.

"Trey, show yourself coward!" he yelled as he approached the palace.

"That wouldn't be advisable," Trent said as he emerged from the doorway clutching the cane he had used to escape. "Trey would probably kill you where you stand; Travis would too for that matter although he'd do it in such a way you'd be begging for Trey to do it. I would rather see you tried and convicted."

"What are you talking about Trey?" Terr demanded.

"You still don't understand, do you?" Trent asked. "Trey of Triforia is gone forever. Trey of Courage, Wisdom, and Heart have been separated permanently." He dropped the poise he had been holding and watched with interest as Terr took in the small but noticeable change in Trent's appearance. "They call me Trent."

"Guards!" Terr cried. "Seize this impostor!"

"Your guards are not here Terr," Trent said. "They're under arrest and awaiting trial. And you can join them."

"So you're not Trey, you're not the Lord of Triforia and you're not the Gold Ranger," Terr said reaching behind his back and releasing the small holdout blaster he kept there. "If I'd known, I would have killed you sooner."

Terr was fast; Trent was faster. As his opponent pulled the blaster Trent swiped with the cane, he had been holding. The blaster went off, but the shot went wide. Trent struck out again and the tip of the cane sliced Terr's face, causing him to scream.

"I told you it was over Terr," Trent stated.

"Why don't you kill me then?" Terr said. "Put me out of my misery?"

"Because I am not a killer Terr and I cannot make myself judge, jury and executioner." Trent answered.

The two stared at each other for only a second when a stray grenade struck a nearby palace wall sending both men back across the hall hitting the nearby wall. Trent quickly recovered, but as soon as he looked across the ground he already saw Terr shaking off the explosion.

The distraction gave Terr enough time to draw his sword, and soon Terr and Trent began what would surely be a gruelling battle.

* * *

Tristan watched Terr battle with the man named Trent, waiting for the opportunity to kill Trey's look-alike. His concentration was ahead and he didn't notice someone approach until something cold touched his chin.

"Don't try it sonny," a raspy voice told him. "I push this button and you'd be dead before hit the ground."

"I can give you anything you want," Tristan said. "Just don't kill me."

"Stand up," the man told him. "I'm going to take you back to the boss so he can make up his mind what to do with you."

"You're a Deshaadra!" Tristan realised.

"That's right, so now you know this is a Laser Sword and not to do anything stupid, right?"

"I - I want to hire you to kill Trent," Tristan tried.

"Sorry sonny, your cousin and my partner have a business arrangement you can't hope to match."

"I can give you the Triforian treasury."

"Thing is sonny, that's what Trent's already paid us."

A different object poked Tristan in the back. This was an ordinary blaster set on kill. At close range it would normally finish an opponent in less than a second. But if the shot were to hit the spine, death would take much longer and far more painful. Knowing he was beaten Tristan threw his hands in the air and started scheming ways to convince Trey, Trent or whatever his name was, to spare him.

* * *

As Terr fought, he allowed his hatred to fuel his actions. Using a ring he had constructed from the Triforian crown jewels, he summoned the power of the Morphin Grid. He didn't care about becoming a Ranger, only about killing Trey and restoring order to the planet. His power was like a magnet that drew a vast chunk of metal from the space cannon and transformed into a suit of heavy armour. Energy struck the surrounding architecture causing stones and glass to fall into the street where they stood.

Trent backed away, unsure of how to fight such a power without the Gold Ranger abilities. His hand gripped the Power Coin of his old friends even more tightly as he silently prayed to any of the higher powers to help him. And help him they did although not in the way he expected.

Terr gave a cry of great triumph and charged forward only to be stopped by a wall of multicoloured light. He tried again only to be thrown back on his butt as faces started to appear.

"You killed us all," they repeated over and over as the faces changed to show all of his victims. "You will pay!"

The light grew ever brighter and then stopped. Instead of advancing on Terr, it vanished into the coin held by Trent. He held it up, feeling the power trapped within. It felt so much like the Gold Power Staff it caused him to remember the feelings he had had as Gold Ranger.

A familiar sensation filled his body, power just waiting for release. He tried to let it out, but couldn't. He knew he was forgetting something, something he needed to do to summon the Power. His mind raced as he thought of the possibilities. The coin wasn't part of the Morphin Grid if it had ever been and therefore wasn't magic. So he didn't need to call it out loud. But then, he remembered that strictly speaking the powers were not part of the Zeo Crystal. Like the Golden Power Staff the Triforian Ranger powers drew magic and converted it into a form of energy similar to the Zeo Crystal. He would have to summon the Power verbally.

He closed his eyes and felt the energy take shape. Terr had stopped his advance and was staring at Trent angrily. Trent remembered all those who had suffered at Terr's hands, his family, and the innocent victims on whatever world it was he destroyed. The coin changed shape until it resembled the Golden Power Staff, Terr cringed and Trent smiled.

"Triforian Ranger Power!"

Trent didn't transform because he didn't need to. Instead he simply attacked, allowing those who had fallen to guide his hand. The Power Staff connected with the sword resulting in a shower of sparks, but neither weapon was damaged. Terr appeared to have the advantage as he pushed Trent further back and drove him to his knees. But when Trent looked up there was no fear in his eyes, only triumph.

"Time for a Gold Rush!" he stated and the next moment Terr was blasted down the street and into one of the crumbling state buildings.

Concrete, brick and heavy wooden timbers collapsed onto the one time dictator of Triforia, but Terr was not quite ready to die. Using his rage he pushed the rubble back into the air. His rage grew, drawing the rest of his precious space station to him. Metal folded and reshaped itself to make arms and legs. Control linkages were wired deep into the machine as Terr was pulled inside to become its blackened heart.

Trent watched the events without concern, his destiny already known. He simply held his hand up as he had done many times before.

"Power of Triforia, make me grow!"

He resembled a Super Zeo Zord as he touched down opposite Terr. He wore black with a gold trim and his helmet had a ten-sided shape. In one hand he held a larger version of the Golden Power Staff and Trent decided the weapon had probably taken the form from his subconscious.

Even as the fight was beginning, Trent knew it could not last for long. The risk of injury to one of the planet's inhabitants was too great, especially with the damage they had already caused. Instead he pushed his limits and called on his version of the Gold Rush.

The blast struck and to Trent's surprise Terr's machine remained upright. For a moment it seemed to smoke and then after only one shot, it fell to the ground and exploded. Trent followed him, shrinking back to the ground and there was a brief scuffle.

"It's over Terr," Trent finally stated as he held his opponent's sword at the defeated warrior's throat.

"Kill me then," Terr spat defiantly, but Trent just dropped the sword and walked away.

"I won't kill you Terr, you're not worth it. I'm not even going to let them put you on trial. You're beaten and you know it! Take what little honour you still have and leave, now!"

Terr considered his next move. The easiest thing in the world would have been to grab the sword and plunge it into Trent's back. But as Trent walked away, Terr realised that to kill Trent would not give him the vengeance he sought. To do that he needed to destroy the things Trent and Trey valued most and sadly their lives were not it. As he teleported away though he promised himself that even if he never set a foot on Triforia again he would be avenged. And to start that process, he pressed a button on his remote control and nodded with grim satisfaction as the remains of the space cannon broke apart into chunks capable of destroying cities and rained down on the Triforian home world.

Trent saw what had happened and for a moment regretted his decision to let Terr go, but then he reminded himself that no matter what, Terr was not worth killing. If he was placed in custody he would never make it to trial, such was the level of corruption on Triforia. He dismissed the thought though as the super weapon crashed through the atmosphere and he was faced with the choice of his own life or those of his people. Naturally he chose his people.

"Golden Nova Blast!" he cried at the top of his lungs.

Trent for a moment became one with the power he was channelling as he was propelled towards the incoming missiles. As pure golden energy he struck the remains, all the power he had released in a single blow. His body reappeared on the ground seconds later as his uniform vanished and he struggled to breathe. He looked into the sky and spotted the remaining fragments. There were fewer pieces falling, but still too many to ensure the safety of his world. But a second object that was speeding towards the planet made him smile.

"Welcome home Trey," he whispered as everything turned dark.

**End of Part **


	11. The Dark Side of Nature

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Dark Side of Nature

A red streak coasted through the solar system, undetected by Zordon's defence satellites as it touched down upon the Moon. As the ball of energy dissipated, the occupants gasped for nonexistent air. It was not the most luxurious method of transit, but it had gotten them to their new location in record time.

"We're home Zeddy!" Rita cried enthusiastically as the troublesome duo walked into their beloved Lunar Palace. Minion was gone after deciding that it was better to build his own island on the Earth where he could establish a center of power. He had taken his henchmen, prisoners and his equipment with him; he had also taken Serpenterra, a fact that caused Zedd to angrily curse the other villain when he found out.

"How dare that clone forget who is in charge around here!" he growled, his body radiating an alarming amount of power.

"We'll show him," Rita gleefully exclaimed.

"Yeah Ed, me and old Goldar will just head down there and show him who's boss," Rito offered. It was such a sincere offer that for a moment Zedd forgot to shout at him for getting the name wrong.

If only it could be that simple. Truthfully though Zedd knew that they would have a hard time subduing Minion. He possessed Serpenterra and the Zeo Crystal, a potentially devastating combination and had troops that in Zedd's opinion would make easy work of the Tengas. ~Although,~ he noted grudgingly, ~I bet they would have no chance against Mondo's Cogs.~

"Minion is not a fool," he said as he peered down at the Earth, taking in a battle between the Rangers and what looked like a Halloween costume with the head of a rabbit, truly a disturbing sight. "The Rangers are still using temporary powers and he seems to be taking advantage of it."

He had been surprised that Minion had not followed up on Jason's injury, nor tried to prevent Kat, Tanya and Billy from reaching Earth with the cure. Now with Billy and Jason back in the mix, Zedd could see that the likelihood of more former Rangers returning and defeating Minion was becoming more likely unless of course he acted first and robbed Minion of some of his glory.

* * *

Turtle Cove

"Come on you stupid thing," a blonde haired figured grunted as he and his companion tried to shift a very reluctant dog into the back of their van.

"I can't believe people keep these creatures as pets," his companion complained, trying to find somewhere to wipe her hands as she checked her nails. "Ew, it's disgusting."

"Never mind that, we've finally captured all the animals we need," he told her as she sauntered into the passenger seat. He paused, assessing his situation before admitting, "I'm beat."

"All this hard work makes me hungry," she agreed as she closed the door. "Let's get that thing back to the laboratory and then get some food."

He turned the key and started the engine, before driving off with remarkable restraint.

"You know Toxica," he said as he shifted gear, "I miss the old days."

"Oh the old days," she whispered dreamily.

"The power, the glory," he stated, his attention drifting from the road but returning quickly enough to pull out of the path of an oncoming lorry. "If only the master would find a way to return to us. Think of what we could do."

"It has to be better than collecting dogs," she agreed. "And we wouldn't be working for humans." She made a disgusted face at that thought.

They of course were not human although aside from his facial disfigurement, it was hard to tell in their current guises. They were Orgs, Duke Orgs to be precise and with their one horn status had at one time come great power. Alas, that power was long gone along with many of the great Orgs. Surprisingly it had been a team of human knights who had destroyed the Master Org and in doing so had crushed weakened those who had followed him; many had disappeared although some had been imprisoned and others like Toxica and Jindrax, had gone into hiding among the humans.

Jindrax pulled the van into the car park outside the laboratory where they worked as he and Toxica continued to reminisce about the bad old days.

"Hey, do you remember the time the master sent Ballista Org to crush that island?" Jindrax asked.

"Of course I do," she replied lazily. "I was the one he asked to give him the directions."

"Those were the days," Jindrax sighed happily. "And if it weren't for those humans it still would be."

"Then destroy the humans."

"Yeah, destroy the humans," Jindrax agreed, then paused. "What happened to your voice Toxica?"

"I didn't say anything," she answered.

Suddenly on their guard, the two Orgs looked around, trying to find whoever had spoken. It was dark and difficult to see, but there was something in the bushes, red eyes burning as it watched them.

"Hey, who are you?" Jindrax demanded.

"A human!" Toxica accused.

Gone was the pretence, they were now on guard; the human had heard them and knew they weren't human. And while they doubted a human could really hurt them, they could never tell. Their plain grey uniforms vanished, leaving behind their true appearances.

Jindrax had lost all but a few of his human features as he shifted form. He had deep impressions that extended from his unmoving lips, with five or so multicoloured spots on his left cheek and on second glance it could be seen that even in human disguise he had only been able to pass them off as oddly shaped purple scars. The long blonde hair he had possessed while cloaked, remained, though in his true form it stuck out of the back of his yellowish head near the base of the skull. His head had three shark-like fins on top along with pink and green gems on his inhuman scalp, and glowing yellow eyes. He wore a suit of purple and white, which alternated on each side between the two. He wore elfish shoes and possessed a short white cape on the back. It was his twisted sword though that made him dangerous.

Toxica somehow managed to still look human although with the black veil over her face it was hard to tell. She wore a long dress made of blue, violet and black material, with a padded shoulder pad that extended down to act as a breastplate. She wore a blue and black helmet over her head, which was adorned with gold chains dangling down off the red gem on her helmet's forehead. And finally, she held a spike-ended staff that was almost as tall as she was.

The two Orgs had the remnants of a horn extending from their foreheads. Jindrax's was white and Toxica's was striped with orange and brown. Both had obviously been damaged at some stage since they ended in a jagged edge rather than a keen point.

"So you do have some power left," Arcana said as he stepped from the darkness. "Is that because you've had time to recover or did running from the battle shield you from some of the side effects?"

"Hey, he's calling us cowards," Jindrax realised.

Toxica pointed her staff at him as Jindrax moved his sword into a ready position. They attacked together, Jindrax charging in from the right as Toxica fired several blasts and then attacked from the left. Arcana teleported over them, using the building as a perch to watch as their weapons collided. Then he dropped back down, bringing his short staff around to knock them both off balance. As they fell, he held his staff at a position to knock their heads off should they move again.

"That is enough," he told them. "I am a spell weaver and I have need of your services, not your corpses."

"Hear that, a spell weaver, and you said he was just a human," Jindrax half-muttered to his companion.

"What do you want of us?" Toxica demanded. She wasn't as brave as she was calculating. He wouldn't kill them if he needed them unless it was a last resort.

"In the beginning this world was consumed by evil and misery; the fleeing forces of darkness chose this planet as their home. There they hoped to rebuild their numbers. They sent forth lesser spirits that fed on misery and destruction to feed on this planet's earliest life forms. While most chose to remain beneath the surface, a few who served a different ruler set up their own kingdom. Others later journeyed to the surface before the first humans drove them back. Unable to reach the surface and blocked from returning to Hell, these demons were forced to reside within the planet's core, in a realm they named Gehenna. At the time there were many entrances to Gehenna, but the locations have been lost over time. However, one location was recorded on the slabs of rock that you Orgs used to construct your Nexus.

And so I need your services to unlock the doorway to Gehenna and release a force that once decimated this world so Minion can use them to bring the humans of this world to their knees."

"Hey, that's great," Jindrax responded. He looked at Toxica. "Who does this guy think he is?"

The staff sparked warningly as if sensing Arcana's increasing frustration. Toxica and Jindrax were Orgs, creatures of chaos and destruction. And while such behaviour and an almost genocidal outlook on humans marked them as evil, they were not interested in things such as conquest. That was something humans did that created the misery and pollution that Orgs needed to exist.

"Take me to the Nexus," he commanded.

"Why, you can't enter there?" Toxica told him, sounding outraged by the suggestion. "Only Orgs can set foot in _those _caves."

"Yeah, no humans," Jindrax added. "Besides - there's nothing in there except a bunch of old statues."

"And if you try to enter you'll be destroyed." Toxica finished. She sounded smug, as if this revelation had ruined the villain's plans and repeated, "only Orgs may access the Nexus."

"I have no interest in whatever secrets the Orgs hold," Arcana snarled, losing patience. "There is something in that place that my master, Minion desires, even if he doesn't realise that need yet. Take me there or suffer the consequences."

"All right already, we'll take you there," Jindrax complained as he was prodded with the staff. "Ow! What is with this guy?"

* * *

The Nexus

The humans of the planet Earth would describe nature as a beautiful and life-giving force. And while their views were not wrong, they were incomplete and perhaps a little too idealistic. Nature could be beautiful and was certainly responsible for the many wonders throughout creation. But that same force was at times a destructive killer, an unstoppable juggernaut of devastation that pushed its own children to their very limits. In essence Nature was the same as the other forces that shaped the planet, completely neutral.

Existence was filled with checks and balances that ensured that the universe would continue to survive. That need for balance applied to everything, even nature. Just as there was life and splendour, and growth, there was also a need for death, decay and renewal. The Orgs were a representation of chaos, complex spirits fed by dark emotions, pollution and the hate generated by humans. The senior Orgs had been a part of an evil kingdom, while the lesser Orgs, which had been unintelligent creatures of destruction, had been unleashed to bring chaos in their wake. Later the ruling Orgs had ended the chaos in favour of their brand of order.

That had changed when the Orgs had arrived on the Earth. The natural power of the planet had been like a beacon for life to develop, and the violence that life brought had attracted the wondering spirits. Their masters had been driven underground by the evolving humans, leaving the world free for the Orgs to plunder.

Although many Orgs had been destroyed, some had survived by hiding. Many of the surviving Orgs were those that had remained formless spirits during the great battle. They had remained aimless since that time, awaiting a chance to strike again should their masters return to give them a purpose.

The Nexus was an Org graveyard, filled with the fossilised bodies of Org Generals who had been frozen before the Master Org's last stand. A little magic would bring them back, but without their horns, Jindrax and Toxica lacked the necessary power.

"Well here we are, home sweet home, kind of," Jindrax said as he, Toxica and Arcana stepped into the cavern. It had come as a shock when the spell weaver had simply shrugged off the energy around the Nexus. After thinking about it though the two Orgs had realised the barrier was intended to keep the pure of heart away, and not necessarily to keep humans at bay.

Arcana looked around, seemingly unimpressed by his surroundings. At one time this had obviously been a well-decorated chamber, but that had been before the thousands of years of decay had taken their toll. Still, he was here for a purpose, one which had required him to endure the idiocy of his companions for the last few hours.

"Yes it is here," he said at last, sensing the object he desired. A single stone tablet, different from the others in that it contained not an Org, but rather knowledge of those that had preceded the Orgs. It had he suspected served to provide the knowledge that Master Org had needed to create the Org Heart before his final battle. While the Org Generals forced into hibernation had been a part of the Org Heart's creation, the extra dark energy he had drawn from Gehenna, a pool of evil just waiting to be tapped. Arcana almost laughed as he read the ancient text; it was in Eltarian. It seemed that the humans who had believed that Hell was located beneath their feet had been onto something after all. "From beneath you it devours," he muttered.

"If that is all master, we will take our leave," Toxica said.

"Yeah, seeya," Jindrax added.

He ignored them as he marched out of the Nexus and teleported away, leaving the two Orgs to wonder what had just happened.

"How dare he treat us like that?" Toxica snapped when she was certain he was gone.

"Yeah, who does he think he is?" Jindrax asked. He looked around. "Soo, you want to try and wake some of these Generals up?"

They two Orgs leaned against the stone wall, obviously trying to decide whether that suggestion was a good idea.

* * *

Stone Henge, England

The tablet had proven very informative and he had been surprised to learn that it had been carved by an Eltarian scribe who had been fascinated by the developing culture. The man had been thorough, encoding the information as layer after layer of carved characters. Only someone with magical sight or the correct equipment could decipher the wording. That effectively made it useless to the planet's population.

Luckily the entrance he had been seeking had been included in the detailed yet incomplete survey. Better still, it was in an area that his master already controlled. When he had found the doorway, which was one of the arches that made up the ancient monument, he had been able to descend a long passage into the depths of the Earth.

He assumed that he had travelled several miles along the tunnels although he had probably only descended ten miles overall. When confronted by a pair of heavy wooden doors he had used his wand to carefully shift them open. Inside he found a circular cavern with walls covered with openings and he could see several creatures moving around in the background. In the center there was a deep chasm that he sensed held the magic the researcher had found. If the sleeping figures on the throne and in the connected chambers were an indicator, this place had played host to creatures that could have given early man nightmares.

"And this would be the resting place of Daemon-oh, I presume," he said as he stared down into the pit. He didn't believe in such things, a God of all Demons? Ridiculous. Now, an ancient being that displayed a massive amount of power and claimed that title he could believe in; the Source of all Evil they called him if he recalled the texts. Deformed as a punishment and left to resemble a fanged octopus, although that too was a ridiculous fabrication in his opinion. "Don't worry, I won't disturb things too much. And these must be the Elemental Beasts of legend," he said, as he moved to a nest in the corner and ran his hand over the rough surfaces of the egg-shaped containers he found there. They were actually hyperlock chambers and their contents were fully developed. It was an efficient way of ensuring the beasts within survived. He stood abruptly and tapped one of the containers with his staff. He was surprised when instead of opening, it exploded.

He should have known that such creatures would require extreme environments in which to revive. No doubt they needed exposure to harsh conditions to awaken such as the hot springs beneath the planet's surface, where that the scalding water could easily boil them, and then had been moved to other sites.

"Perhaps I shall move them to a more suitable home," he decided. He paused, looking at something at the back of the cavern. "What is that?" He studied the beast from all angles. He could sense the potential of such a creature. Its injuries would make it angry and that rage would fuel its ferocious attacks.

Using the tablet as a guide, he drew a symbol around the beast and watched as it was magically restored. Arcana sent the mindless creature to a place where it would prove useful, choosing to draw the Rangers out and keep them busy for a while. Then he used his wand to direct a blast of energy from the dark chasm.

The resulting explosion rocked the famous white cliffs of Dover. The chalky rock crumbled as the Earth was split open, revealing the dark secret it held. Thick green smog poured from the hole, carrying with it a stench that made the locals wonder if maybe the drains had backed up again. Then as the collapse continued, swallowing a small hotel in the process, the cave was buried for all eternity.

He had collected the containment units that had survived the explosion, and had moved them so they would not be crushed by falling chalk. He teleported away to place them where they would be able to open, leaving the humans none the wiser. He was impressed by the distance he had travelled from Stone Henge to reach the cliffs. The explosion had sealed that entrance, but it didn't matter anymore. He would not be needing it again.

* * *

The Power Chamber

"You guys ready?" Billy asked.

"Go for it Man," Tommy replied.

~Ah well, here goes,~ Billy thought to himself. "After Zordon and Alpha completed the initial construction and restoration, I managed to finish reconfiguring some of my previous designs to incorporate the option of a secondary gestalt procedure. The result as you can see is three sets of Zord; the Sky Zords flying high, the Defender Zords all round and Techno Zords as backup and special operations."

Billy looked at Tommy's face and could not help laughing. When he had returned to Earth with Kat and Tanya from Crystal, the initial concern had been to administer the antidote to Jason. Then after visiting his parents and an extended talk with Zordon, Billy had thrown himself into working on the new Zords, desperate to bring the Rangers' arsenal up to scratch. He had even allowed Zordon and Alpha to fit the Power Coin he had used on Aquitar as part of a backup plan in case the Gem Coin powers failed. It seemed Tommy had not been expecting as much progress.

"The Ninja you are using was not meant to work with your powers. These three sets of Zords will act as replacements, but since they're limited in power we created three sets; unfortunately as unstable as it may be, the Ninja is still the most powerful weapon at your disposal."

The Rangers watched five aircraft roared overhead, each in the colour of a different Ranger. Although they resembled fighter jets, Tommy imagined they were many times more powerful. Next came a selection of giant rescue vehicles; an ambulance, a police car, rescue helicopter, a police motorcycle and a fire engine. Finally came a set of futuristic type vehicles. First was a type of plane, followed closely by another plane with a cannon on each side of the cockpit, then a sleek car, a covered motorcycle and finally a high-powered dune buggy.

"Each Zord can either be piloted or worked by remote control. In addition the Megazords can work with only one Ranger at the controls, although I would recommend two if you want fine control; you can have all three units operating at the same time."

"What's that big thing over there?" Tanya asked, pointing to a large plane that was heading towards them.

"That's the Drop Zord," Billy explained. "When you need Megazord Power you will find it invaluable."

Let's give it a try," Tommy said. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

Billy and Jason teleported back to the Power Chamber and watched the events unfolding below.

"How do they call them?" Jason asked.

"Deploy Zords!" the Rangers called.

Almost immediately a computerised link was established between them and the new Zords, and the control data for the machines was transferred to their helmet displays.

"Sky Megazord, power up!" Zeo Crane called.

The five planes altered course and flew towards them. Then at the right moment, they switched course, heading upright towards the sky. The red plane's nose cone retracted into the cockpit to be replaced by a head, the wings folded toward the bottom of the plane and the fuselage shrunk to half its normal size. The pink and yellow planes transformed into the arms, and the blue and black planes formed the legs.

"Drop Zord, now!" Zeo Crane ordered. The plane flew past; it dropped the fists, feet and chest plate of the Megazord as it did so.

"Sky Megazord, online!" Zeo Crane ordered.

"Megazord activated," a computerised voice. The voice was based on the computer inside the original Megazord. Adding the voice had made the Zord seem friendlier.

"Kat, call on the SFC," Billy advised. The Pink Gem Coin Ranger did as she was told and a long rifle appeared on the Zord's right arm. "Now try flying."

Zeo Crane did as she was told, but found it difficult to control the whole Megazord in flight. Billy watched the readings and swore in disgust. "Damn, the control relay signal is too weak. I'll have to reconfigure the fly-by-wire systems."

"I can program the computer to take over most of the systems," Alpha offered.

"That would allow the machine to hover, but not improve the control," Billy replied. "I'll keep working on it."

When it was clear the young genius had succeeded, Zordon spoke. "Congratulations Kat, you are the pilot of the Sky Megazord."

"You ready Adam?" Billy asked over the communicator, his voice sounding distorted.

For some reason Adam and Rocky had chosen to ride in the lead Zord. Adam looked at Rocky and when the other boy nodded he called out, "Defender Megazord, power up!"

The fire engine's cab rolled up and over the top to reveal the Megazord's head, the rest of it shifting shape to form the body. The helicopter's rotor blade flew of as the tail detached itself allowing the helicopter to form the right arm. The ambulance attached itself to the left side of the body, and the motorcycle and police car formed the legs.

Once again the Drop Zord appeared, releasing the hands, feet and chest shield for the Defender Megazord. When the Megazord was complete the rotor blades and tail transformed into a Power Sword.

"Megazord, activated," the computer reported.

"Impressive," Rocky said, testing the reflexes of his Zord.

"You can combine the Megazord with the Drop Zord if you need to," Billy told them. "Tommy, Tanya, your turn."

"Techno Megazord, form up!" Zeo Bear and Zeo Falcon called together.

The two planes flew away from them for a moment, but soon appeared again with a large gun emplacement in tow. The high speed of the two jets caused the chains dragging the emplacement lift off the ground. As it drew near the chains were released. The gun detached itself from the emplacement, allowing it to form the lower body onto which the larger of the two planes formed to create the upper torso, shoulders and head. The dune buggy and motorbike transformed into the arms and the other plane and car formed the legs.

A panel opened on the lower back of the Megazord from which the hands and feet for the Megazord were released along with the chest panel. The gun had in the meantime split in half and appeared in each hand.

"Billy, Alpha, Zordon, you've excelled yourselves," Zeo Falcon said.

"Thank you, Tommy," Zordon replied. "However Billy deserves most of the credit for the construction of the Zords and the integration of your powers."

"We'll head back to the Power Chamber and wait for a chance to use them," Zeo Falcon said.

The Rangers powered down and returned to their base. Minion's attacks had been intensifying since Jason had recovered, and the Rangers were starting to feel the strain. With their new Zords they hoped the battles would not be so draining. But if they were honest then it was the reappearance of Rita and Zedd along with the Machine Empire that had highlighted the need for the Rangers to be able to face multiple threats at the same time.

* * *

Later that day, the Rangers had decided to spend time practicing baseball at their local stadium. Since her relationship with Shawn had ended, Tanya had been reluctant to visit the field. Today Adam had been pretty insistent that she joined them for some fun.

"Man, this feels great," Rocky said as the small group of friends took a break. "Warm day, no monster attacks and best of all I even have a girlfriend."

Kat and Tanya rolled their eyes as Rocky's current girlfriend, Stephanie, waved to him from the other side of the field. Adam and Tommy exchanged amused looks. They were happy for their friend, glad that he gotten over his grief surrounding the loss of his previous girlfriend, but deep down the male Rangers wished he hadn't inherited Zack's sense of romance. The girls just wished he wouldn't keep changing girlfriends from one week to the next. Kat had jokingly suggested he was worse than Billy when it came to women.

"It is nice," Kat agreed.

"Yeah, makes you wonder what Minion is up to," Tommy commented.

"Let's not forget Rita," Adam added.

The Rangers were not naive enough to believe Minion had just given up or that their enemies would hold back if they had a chance to snatch the planet from their rival's grasp. They also couldn't believe that villains of such standing would have simply given up on their plans to conquer the Earth simply because the Rangers had stalled and undermined their efforts on every possible occasion.

"Ah, we can take them anytime," Rocky boasted.

"Don't get cocky," Jason warned. He had not played that day, protesting he was tired.

"Just because they have not triumphed yet does not mean they will give up," Adam told them. "And remember, we're not monsters; we cannot come back from the dead if we're killed in battle."

His words had the desired effect and Rocky sobered as he thought back to Jennifer and the way she had died.

"Minion is too dangerous to underestimate," Tommy agreed. "And without the Zeo Crystal we are vulnerable."

"Well I for one appreciate not being kidnapped and used as bait," David Trueheart, Kat's boyfriend and Tommy's brother commented.

As the afternoon wore on, the Rangers and their friends decided to go to Ernie's Juice Bar. They sat around a table, laughing and enjoying the day when the news report appeared on the television.

"This just in," a reporter said, "New York is under attack. An unnamed monster has been reported rampaging through the streets. Police and military sources have so far been unable to stop this brute. The Avengers, the government-funded team of super heroes led by wartime hero Captain America were dispatched and later forced to withdraw when their attempts to subdue what one of them was heard to call an Abomination were unsuccessful. Indeed two members of the defence force have been reported injured. Team leader Steve Rogers and financial sponsor Anthony Stark were unavailable for comment. Group scientist Doctor Bruce Banner is reported to have said 'everything is under control; our forces have the situation in hand. There is no need to panic.'"

The broadcast continued and the Rangers had already made their excuses and were about contact Zordon when their communicators beeped.

"We're here Zordon," Tommy said as Rocky kept lookout. Jason and David were distracting Stephanie, which allowed the Rangers to sneak away.

"Somebody has unleashed a new monster in New York City," the wise Grid Master answered.

"We saw the report," Tommy answered.

"What do you think?" Rocky asked. It was unusual for Rita and Zedd to strike away from Angel Grove, although it would not be the first time somebody had done so.

"I don't think it's Rita," Tommy replied. "Although, Rita wouldn't think twice about taking advantage of the situation."

"That is correct Tommy. For now though the monster is your priority. Morph and teleport to New York."

"All right, we're on our way," Tommy responded. "All clear Rocky?"

The teen nodded as Adam checked the other direction.

"Then, It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

"Tyrannosaurus!" Jason cried. He had managed to leave David with Stephanie while he joined the others.

When Billy had returned to Earth, he had brought with him a single Power Coin. Zordon had found a way to split the coin's energy between multiple Rangers. And while it would only weaken the Gem Coin Rangers to use that source, it allowed Jason and Billy to join the battle as minimally powered warriors.

Before the morph was completed, they were already teleporting to New York, ready to face the beast that had taken down the city's most prominent heroes. Once there they quickly learnt that brute force would not aid them, since the brutish beast had an abundance of strength and an ability to leap that was both breathtaking and ground breaking. The Ranger had a serious height deficit and despite the strength of numbers and the advantages that came through cooperation, they were unable to land any significant blows.

"Pistols!" Zeo Falcon ordered as Jason drew the demon aside with a few blows from his sword. The monster didn't seem to feel it, but given that the sword was virtually indestructible, Jason didn't mind repeating the action again and again until the creature was paying attention solely to him. "Fire!" Jason dove for the ground as five bolts of laser fire slammed into the thing's chest.

"Tommy, we need to drive him back towards the river," Zeo Frog said.

"The water?" Zeo Bear asked, confused. Adam had been teaching her tactics and she had gained a good grasp of battlefield strategies, but this recommendation made little sense given that the Rangers were less effective on water.

"We push him away from the buildings and allow Zordon to teleport us somewhere with fewer civilians," Zeo Frog told her. While not the best tactical decision, there was little choice. The collateral damage was increasing by the moment.

"This isn't going to work," Zeo Falcon realised after the beast forced its way forward despite their best shots.

"Flash Pulse!" Zeo Crane called. A stream of pink energy cut across the beast's neck.

If the blow hurt it, there was no outward gin, nor did it feel the impact from the Red, Blue and Green Rangers as they collided with their weapons and were seemingly shrugged aside. Zeo Bear seemed to have more luck as she leapt on the monster's back, using her arms to wrap around the muscular neck of the beast. She held it there until the others summoned their pistols, letting go as their combined blasts struck it in the chest, and Jason followed through with his sword.

Zeo Bear rejoined her friends, summoned her own pistol and they fired repeatedly until they could think of a new attack.

* * *

"Minion won't like it if I made all this effort only to fail," Arcana muttered as he watched the battle. In his hand he held a wooden mirror that was six inches in diameter and carved from dark wood. With the aid of his magic it allowed him to view the fight from a safe distance. He wanted to aid Minion's victory and maybe in the process free himself from Zedd's service; now the dastardly duo had returned it was only a matter of time before they remembered him and gave orders for him to secure either Serpenterra or the Zeo Crystal. Both would allow Zedd an easy victory over the Power Rangers and mean that Arcana's servitude would never end.

The Rangers had just combined their attack and his monster, whatever it was supposed to be, had taken a direct hit. So far it had displayed few of the magical abilities that most monsters possessed, relying instead on brute force, powerful claws and sharp teeth. It was obviously hungry given that it tried to eat anything it could grab.

"Hear me Iblis, Lord of Lies and spirit of darkness. I summon you from the darkest depths, come forth and power up that creature. My life as a bond." He promptly threw his arms in the air, making himself vulnerable should the demon decide to take the offer. "Make that monster grow!"

A burst of light tore from his chest and struck the sidewalk outside an old firehouse in Manhattan, shattering the paving slabs as it broke into the basement of the almost derelict building. Nobody really cared when the building started to lurch dangerously; over the years the firehouse had earned a reputation of being just too weird. Had the building's one time occupants been resident they could have fought to prevent the sudden realise of the massive amounts of psychic energy stored within that his incantation was about to use for the spell. But they were not there, having been called away on a job that required them to travel to the other side of the city.

Not for the first time in recent history the top of the building was blown off as the storage facility in the basement was compromised. Red light shot into the sky, which had darkened in response to the negative energy. The demon started to form, a multi eyed red-bodied creature that towered over the city. The top half of its body was separated from the lower section with four faced head filling the gap between top and bottom. A beam of light shot from his eyes, striking the Abomination in the back.

The beast grew. At first it appeared to just become larger, but gradually its shape changed, becoming more like something out of a Japanese monster movie, its powerful tail whipped back and forth and in the process wiped out a number of vehicles, turning lamp posts into deadly projectiles that threatened to rip the Rangers apart as they flew towards them.

"Zordon, we need the Ninja Zords!" Zeo Falcon called. He paused, reconsidered and then added: "Better have the Sky, Techno and Defender Zords ready too. We might need the extra power."

Jason took that as his cue and teleported away. It wasn't that he didn't want to fight, but since he lacked a Zord and a full set of powers, he was a liability if he remained. He was better off aiding Billy in the Power Chamber.

"Take your positions, everybody!" Zeo Falcon ordered. The five individual Ninja Zords leapt into the air. "Initiating Ninja mode!"

At Zeo Falcon's command the individual Ninja Zords started their transformation, bending and twisting until they formed the basic components of the gestalt's body. Then they merged, blending to create the Ninja.

"Online!" Zeo Falcon called.

"Power up!" the others responded as they united inside the cockpit.

The Ninja was shiny, horribly smooth and too metallic for the tastes of its pilots, something that meant that when the ogre-like creature landed its first punch, the machine barely had time to acknowledge the impact as it landed down the street, flat on its back. Inside the Rangers had been shaken by the fierce right hand.

"That thing is ugly," Zeo Ape joked.

"Yeah, and he packs a punch too," Zeo Frog added, directing the legs so the Ninja had more resistance to future blows.

"TOMMY!" Zeo Crane warned. While Zeo Falcon and Zeo Frog had been trying to stabilize the machine, they had allowed the monster to bring its powerful tail around to strike the left-hand side.

"Split!" Zeo Falcon ordered, causing the Ninja to disconnect into its component Zords, a move that should have foiled the attempt to strike them.

Unfortunately Abomination's tail kept going, striking the Bear and sending it crashing into a building.

"Tanya?" Zeo Falcon asked.

"I'm okay," Zeo Bear replied. There was a long silence. "My Zord is out of action though."

"Right," Zeo Falcon confirmed, allowing the Crane, Frog and Ape to pester the monster and keep its attention away from their fallen comrade. "Billy?"

"I'm here," the young genius replied. He had morphed and discovered that his uniform had once again changed to reflect the changes in his powers. He was now a Grid Warrior, sharing the Power Coin with Jason and whoever else happened to be using the energies at that time.

He had teleported into the Wolf, wishing he had access to the Zords he had used on Aquitar. With a shift of the controls the Wolf jumped at the Beast, its jaws locking on one of its arms.

"Individual attacks!" Zeo Falcon ordered.

The Ninja Zords were capable of fighting as individual machines and each possessed its own arsenal of moves and weapons. Frog used its tongue to ensnare the beast's legs and then unleashed a ball of flame at its helpless target while Ape hacked away with its swords.

The beast bucked and roared, making its fury clear to all in the vicinity. The Wolf was pitched into the remains of a taxicab as the Ape was shifted into the path of the flames and then used to strike the Frog.

"Zordon, send in the Defender Zords," Zeo Frog instructed. "Tommy, we need to form the Defender Megazord."

There was a blur of teleport streams as the Rangers shifted places to make the most use of their arsenal. As the beast moved to attack them, it found its way blocked as the Rangers used their Zord's ability to generate a low-level force field. Before they could retaliate though the monstrous creature managed to connect physically with its large arm, knocking them away. Although the size difference was not too great - for the Defender Megazord was a very sturdy machine - it could not resist the raw power behind each of the monster's powerful swats. The Megazord brought its flame cannon into play and there was a loud screech as it struck the Abomination in the face.

"Look out!" Zeo Bear cried as their opponent unleashed a ball of energy from its mouth that tore through Lower Manhattan.

"Change of plans, Zordon, we need all civilians cleared from the city!" Zeo Falcon cried.

"But Tommy," Alpha protested. "Do you have any idea how much energy that would take?"

"Just do it!" Tommy was getting angry. "We can't fight this thing while we have to worry about casualties."

~Those we haven't already caused,~ he amended as he looked at the crushed building that had been in the way of their battle. The monster's massive frame had caused damage to the sewerage and underground networks. Electricity and communications were out in the worst hit areas as fires raged.

The Zords were down, the last attack having knocked them flying in all directions. Its first outing as an active Megazord, and they had already damaged it. They could transfer to the Sky Zords and Techno Zords, but if they couldn't find a weakness, the monster would just keep coming.

Not far from the action was one of the few heroes yet to try his might against the demon. It had not been due to intelligence on his part, nor could he be considered a coward. It was just that to this hero, barely twenty-two and one who had seen things most humans never see, handling alien invasions was a job for the big boys like the Avengers. He'd watched them fall and wondered what he could do. Then the Power Rangers had arrived. ~What's next, turtles? Face it Spidey, this job is getting to you.~

He fired a web, swinging from one building to the next, leaping where building had been destroyed. He was small, too feeble a target for the creature to consider as he used it as his final anchoring point. He wasn't going to punch it out. He accepted that even with the proportional strength of a spider, he was still too weak to have an effect on such a monstrosity. Instead he used his speed and guile to clamber through the ogre's orange hair and dangle in front of its face.

"Spider-Man comin atcha, eat webbing chuckles!" he cried as he sprayed webbing in the monster's eyes. He made himself scarce before the monster could tear the webbing away from its face, landing on one of the few buildings he could reach. ~Well at least he's not paying attention to the Rangers. What, he's leavin?~

"Tommy, teleport is complete," Alpha called.

"Alright, send the Techno Zords to a position north east of here," Zeo Falcon instructed. "Send the Sky Zords south west and program them to lock target on the other Zords. Then get this Zord's repair systems working."

"Teleportation complete Tommy," Alpha said.

"Zordon?"

"Tommy, I long ago decided that the Rangers of Earth are capable of knowing when their actions are justified. What you propose is dangerous, but I can see few alternatives. I believe that if the cause of this destruction is removed, the city will be restored."

"Thanks Zordon. Okay guys, this is what we do..."

Music floated over the city, familiar music. The Rangers looked around, but their view was blocked as Dragonzord made its way inland.

"Sam?"

"You need all the help you can get," the Green Ranger pointed out.

"Let's do this!" Zeo Falcon enthused. The others responded positively before teleporting to their positions.

While Adam and Rocky remained in the cockpit of the Defender Megazord, Kat teleported to the Sky Megazord and Tommy teleported to the Techno Megazord where Tanya soon joined him. With the three Zords coordinating their fire to cross at the right point, they waited for the Dragonzord to draw the beast into position.

"Lock on, here goes. Please, don't move!" Tommy prayed as he depressed the fire button, activating the Techno Megazord's impressive arsenal. The mixture of projectile and energy weapons combined with the balls of flame launched from the Defender Megazord's weapon and some of the Sky Megazord's lesser weaponry.

The creature howled like a wounded animal, spraying bolts of electrical energy into the city, the lightning effect hiding the light show taking place elsewhere as Iblis was confronted with four worn out Ghostbusters who were determined to take him down even if it meant crossing the streams and wiping out the entire city. The beast was now wild with pain and not paying attention as the weapons of the Dragonzord joined the barrage.

"Keep firing!" Zeo Falcon hollered.

Laser and rocket fire bombarded the area as the firepower of four mighty machines mixed. Buildings, streetlights, sidewalk and Zords were engulfed by the firestorm. Nothing should have emerged from such a barrage unharmed. Nothing did. The buildings were reduced to metal girders and crumbling concrete, the streets had crumbled into the sewers and the Zords while operational had seen better days. The monster was battered and unmoving, seemingly defeated by the overwhelming force. Sadly Iblis had not been contained, despite the Ghostbusters' best efforts.

With the last of his willpower, Iblis merged with the battered creature, powering it up into a new black form.

"Damage report, now!" Zeo Falcon snapped.

"Sky Megazord, no damage; Stress Fracture Cannon still available."

"Defender Megazord, structural damage and no weapons. Force field won't withstand another shock."

"We overloaded the weapon systems," Tanya told him as she inspected their machine.

"Ninja is operational, but needs time to recharge," Billy told them. "I don't think the city will take another shock like that."

"Dragonzord is down, but not out if we can build it a new foot," Sam told them.

"Any ideas?" Tommy asked. He was unsure of what to do next.

"I do Bro."

"Jase?"

"Listen, Alpha's going to send some schematics your way. Trust me Bro, this is Billy's best idea yet. Have I ever lied to you?"

There was a small flash on Tommy's visor as data started to flow. "Aw man, can we do this?"

"As Billy would say," Jason joked, "affirmative."

"Alright guys," Zeo Falcon called to the rest of the Rangers. "Prepare to begin Secondary Merge. Zordon, retrieve Dragonzord and the Ninja before we do this." There was something in Tommy's voice the others couldn't identify. Could it be anxious excitement?

"Timing could be a problem," Jason told him. "It could take a few minutes to get things set up and teleported."

Tommy looked out of his Zord's cockpit, picking up on the red and yellow shape moving towards them at high speed. He smiled, remembering where Billy had spent three months during his work experience before he left for Aquitar. No doubt this was one of the less dangerous attempts Billy had made at building a Zord and becoming a Ranger again.

"What is that?" Zeo Bear asked.

"Remember when the news reports said the Avengers were down?" Zeo Falcon replied. "Nobody said they were out."

"Is that?" Zeo Ape asked.

"Iron Avenger," Zeo Frog confirmed. "One of Stark's little side projects his backers don't know about. Billy was there when their scientists solved the last of the problems with its operating system. In fact I think he gave him the frequency used for Megazord formation in return for the materials he needed to complete the Red Battlezord."

"You mean he sold our secrets to the military," Zeo Bear cut in. "Does Zordon know about this?"

"Of course I do," Zordon answered. "The leaders of this planet have collaborated for years in preparation for an invasion should it come. They provide support in case all else fails and promise not to try a nuclear strike. In return their scientists are allowed equal access to the theory, schematics or prototypes of some of our equipment, rarely all three. And since this was a personal project of Billy's, I have no place to intervene unless the technology is abused."

"Stark was obviously clever enough to understand the plans and duplicate the experiment. Hence the big machine heading our way," Adam said.

And behind the Megazord sized robot that was flying towards them, the Rangers could see another giant, this one very human with a younger woman holding onto his shoulder. Behind them flew a smaller version of the metal giant and another figure in grey armour.

"Keep it away from the Rangers," they heard Captain America order "Iron Avenger, Mega Punch, now!"

The Iron Avenger's fist shattered upon contact with the now black monster's body. The enraged monster twisted, bringing its massive tail around to smash into the machine. Giant Man moved forward, but was put down quickly when the creature lifted him and slammed him back to the ground. Wasp flew towards him, but a casual backhand sent her careering across the city where she landed in the river. Iron Man and War Machine opened fire, the former calling on the drones he had created using a multitude of armoured suits he had rejected during the prototype stage. While not able to cause extensive damage, the Rangers were pleased to see that finally something was having an effect.

"Look out for the..." Zeo Falcon started to call as the beast opened its mouth. "Energy blast," he finished dejectedly as the drones were turned to scrap and both Iron Man and War Machine were grounded. "Zordon, time is running out!"

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, hold on Tommy, there... all is ready."

"All right!" Zeo Falcon cried. "Rangers, activate."

"What's going on?" Rocky asked.

"Just do it and you'll find out. Gem Coin Superzord power, now!"

The Gem Coin Superzord was a merger between the three Megazords and was Billy's attempt to create a concentrated burst of fire. Unfortunately it did not combine their energy reserves. The Defender Megazord reshaped itself to form the body and head while the Sky Megazord split in half to form the legs and the Techno Megazord performed a similar split to create the arms and chest plate; the various weapons from the Zords attached to the arms and legs, creating a mobile fortress.

"Gem Coin Power Sword!" the Rangers called.

The Superzord stomped through the damaged city, the Defender Megazord's Power Sword in hand. As the Rangers teleported into the cockpit, it attacked Abomination. It was faster and landed a few solid punches before using its cranial weapon to stagger the beast. Abomination tried to hurl another energy ball, but this time the Rangers were ready, bringing a heavy arm plate around to bounce the attack back to its source.

"All weapons lock on and Fire!" the Rangers commanded.

This time that barrage was virtually unstoppable as the monster was bombarded with all the energy the Rangers could draw on. Still, it would not fall. As the blasts continued to pummel it, it seemed to transform into molten rock, their blasts scarring its features until it finally cooled, now a behemoth made of sharp spiked rock. Death had come to New York.

Zeo Ape moaned as their weapon systems strained to keep up the assault. At the rate they were going they would destroy the city before defeating whatever this monster was.

"Look out!" Kat warned.

The monster had launched itself from a low crouch and was heading straight toward the makeshift Ultrazord. Spiked fists collided with the machine's chest, ripping a gaping wound in the thick armour. Further blows followed as it tried to destroy everything in its path.

"Everybody hold on!" Tommy ordered as massive hands clamped the head of the Zord and tried to rip it away from the shoulders.

"Look out!" Zeo Bear cried.

The darkness that had engulfed the Superzord as the monster's hand closed over the optic sensors cleared in time for the Rangers to see a massive ball of energy heading their way

"Reform Sky Megazord," Zeo Falcon ordered. The Superzord split, sacrificing the Drop Zord so the three individual Megazords could form. "Stress Fracture Cannon, fire!"

The Stress Fracture Cannon worked by finding weaknesses in a structure. And as they used the primary laser to test the monster's body, Tommy hoped their earlier assaults had caused some structural defects.

"Target located," Adam said as the small laser locked in and transferred the data to the computer. "Main blast now."

The large weapon flared, pummelling the weakness with explosive energy. For a moment the monster seemed to remain upright. Then it exploded.

"No! I will rule this world!" Iblis cried.

With the reason for his presence gone, he was forcibly returned to his dimension. And as he disappeared, the buildings that had been destroyed by the monster attack were restored and the civilians injured in the attack had their wounds healed. At the same time Arcana was subjected to the backlash as the magic he had invoked consumed him.

* * *

Angel Grove

"And so ends one of the most terrifying periods in New York's history. Officials are still uncertain what transpired during the final moments; television stations reported severe technical problems during that period. A spokesman for the Avengers is reported to have said that the outcome was due to an act of extreme bravery and sacrifice, the Power Rangers were not available for comment and the spokesman refused to elaborate further."

Tommy turned off the television and moved to join his friends on the sofa. His parents were out and the Rangers had decided that this would be a better place to meet than the Juice Bar. They needed privacy.

"I hope we don't have to fight something like that too often," Tanya said. The others nodded.

* * *

Minion was pleased. When Arcana had presented him with the hyperlock units, he had been furious that the wizard had taken action without his express permission and had suspected at once that there was some sort of treason involved. After some thought though he had realised that they would make the perfect forerunners for Serpenterra. He had ensured they were positioned and had been pleased to see the signs that they would revive shortly. Better yet, Serpenterra was finally ready for use.

True Rita and Zedd returning had given him some unneeded competition and Arcana's destruction had been a disappointment; he had been on the verge of actually liking the spell weaver. Still, a few losses didn't matter so long as when the time came he was the clear winner. And Arcana had performed one last duty although unknowingly; when the injuries had been reversed, the damage the Avengers had suffered had not been, New York's elite super heroes had been effectively crippled.

He watched as Jindrax and Toxica scurried around in the Nexus, they were of no concern to him. Their usefulness was exhausted, but they didn't pose a threat to his plans and were therefore not worth destroying. Besides, their priorities were vastly different from his; it was unlikely they would ever become competition.

Now he controlled the Elemental Beasts and it was just a matter of waiting.

**To Be Continued **


	12. Dreams of Warning

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Dreams of Warning

Angel Grove was calm, too calm considering that by Zordon's calculations, Minion's plan to use the Zeo Crystal should have been put into operation. There were still some attacks. Rita and Zedd it seemed had noticed the Rangers' apparent weakness and had taken advantage by attacking frequently with their smaller forces, hoping that they could wear the humans down.

Regular attacks by foot soldiers were now always followed by an easy to defeat monster. Rita and Zedd wanted the Rangers worn down, not their Zords. And once they had returned, Mondo and Gasket had joined in too, desperate that the organic villains not gain too great an advantage. Gasket was more successful than Rita or Zedd because he sent more than one monster in a day. Mondo's less frequent monsters were among his most powerful. He was hoping that by sending powerful forces at random he would one day emerge successful.

Today had been a particularly nasty battle and the Rangers were still feeling the effects when they left the Power Chamber. Zedd's chosen monster had been able to throw objects at them with its mind. It had taken them almost as long to get near enough to fight the creature as it had to finally destroy it. Katherine had taken a nasty blow from a collection of recycling bins that had been thrown her way. One of the bins had caught her head and given her a headache for the rest of the day.

In fact her head still hurt and that was one of the reasons why she sat on a small chair, staring out of her window, instead of lying in bed asleep. She was tired, but the thought of sleeping just didn't appeal. If she fell asleep she knew the dreams would return and she would wake up screaming as she had done every other night that week.

It was not unusual for Rangers to have nightmares. Tommy had had nightmares every night for months following his time as the Green Ranger, Rocky was known to wake up in tears whenever he recalled the death of his girlfriend, and Tanya had once mentioned having trouble after her parents were almost victims of the Machine Empire. Katherine herself had had several nightmares in the weeks after she had returned to Rita and Zedd. In her dreams, Tommy had not returned in time with the Zeo Crystal and she had turned truly evil.

Recently though the dreams had become more disturbing. They foretold of an evil about to be unleashed on the planet, an evil that even the Rangers would be hard pressed to defeat. Her dreams did not reveal who would release it, but the sense of anger, hate and terror were overwhelming.

She thought back to what she had experienced. There was no doubting the excitement in Rita's voice as she had stared down at what Kat could only assume were eggs. There had been a strong odour in the air that reminded her of Rito, but while Rito's stench was unpleasant, this smell had been unbearable. She concentrated on that sensation and allowed the memories to come forth. For some reason it seemed important that she discovered as much as possible.

Fear was one of the strongest emotions imaginable and the air was filled with fear and tension. Millions of terrified people huddled together for safety, hoping that their saviours would return. But the Power Rangers were dead, killed by a threat they never saw coming. The forest surrounding Angel Grove was a smoking ruin, the ground covered with blood, bodies, torn Spandex and pieces of metal. A whirlwind of uncontrollable fire had long since moved on towards the nearby city as even water proved unable to stop it. From the abandoned Warehouse District a tidal wave never before seen had washed away anything in its path as the ground opened to swallow the city and the air itself seemed to stop the people from escaping.

And at its center was a new threat. Not Rita, Zedd, Mondo, Gasket nor Grommet; not Minion or any other villain she had seen before. They came not from space, but from within the Earth and it seemed their power was such that even though they tried to prevent it, the planet was ruined.

Kat shivered at the destruction that she had seen. So much devastation caused by whatever was in those eggs, and the Rangers had been totally unable to fight back for some reason. Her mind screamed at her to forget the dream and concentrate on the problems they were already facing. The trouble was, in her heart Kat knew that what she had seen was more than a dream.

In the past those Rangers who had been under the control of Earth's villains had exhibited beneficial side effects when released. Sam had discovered his own magical potential when released from the Wizard of Deception's spell while Tommy had been exceptionally sensitive to unusual time distortions after his brief stint as King of the Machine Empire. It was not known if his time as the Green Ranger had revealed any new abilities since Tommy desperately tried to ignore everything that had happened to him during that time. It was not as bad now, according to Billy, as it had been during his guilt-ridden days as the Green Power Ranger or the outright denial of his evil self during the first few months he had spent as White Ranger.

Kat however did not have the same need to repress her time as Rita's pawn. Although a little guilty she was also realistic enough to know that there was nothing she could have done to shake off the spell when it had first been applied. And after she had been under the spell long enough, she had managed to throw it off without outside help. She had fought the spell even though for the most part it had made her feel that evil was her true nature. And because she accepted what had happened, she had also been aware of how different she had been following her release. Some parts of the spell had not been lifted.

The sensations she had picked up suggested it was a manifestation of one of those powers choosing to surface. When Rita was feeling especially happy, scared or angry, the sensations would sometimes be transmitted to Kat. At first she had been able to feel those emotions at any time, but as the months had passed, so the link between Kat and her former mistress had weakened. Now Kat could only feel Rita's emotions if they were especially strong and only as a dream.

The more she thought about it the more she convinced herself that the dream had been a glimpse of the future, perhaps even how Rita imagined the future would be. Her right hand reached for her communicator and stopped. If she pressed the button, she would be transported to the Power Chamber in only her nightclothes. Then there was the possibility that Zordon and Alpha would be asleep. She didn't want to wake them unless it was necessary.

She looked at her bed, the pink covers neatly pulled back. She wanted to lie down, but the fear of falling asleep stopped her from contemplating such an action. She wished she could just rest even though that seemed unlikely. As she glanced at the pictures of her friends, she realised that until she put her fears to rest, she would not be sleeping.

She thought back to all the things the Rangers had been through recently, her mind lingering for a moment on recent events, the attack on Jason and her search for the cure on Crystal. Her eyes widened as she thought of a way to find out if her fears were valid without disturbing the other. But first she needed to get dressed.

* * *

Earth's Fire was a small vessel capable of interplanetary travel and could carry up to eight crew members. Kat and Aisha had used the vessel when they had journeyed to the planet Crystal. It was capable of great speed, manoeuvrability and was equipped with state of the art shielding and weapon systems. When he had built it, Zordon had intended to include a powerful computer core to handle all non bridge functions including repairs. There were quarters for each crew member and the lower deck had enough space to hold a relatively small collection of Zords. Unfortunately due to time restraints the computer core had yet to be fitted, so the overall effectiveness of the ship was limited.

A ghost ship was the description Kat would have used for the Earth's Fire when she teleported aboard. After the ship had finally returned to Earth, Alpha and Zordon had gone to great pains to ensure that it would not be detected. The ship was a valuable if rarely used part of the Rangers' arsenal and once finished it would provide the space travel Zordon felt his students would one day need. It was currently fixed in orbit around the planet, shielded from the eyes of Rita and Zedd on the Moon.

Kat looked down at the controls and was not surprised to discover they had changed. Zordon and Alpha had mentioned at one time that they tried to keep some weapons universal and that meant the controls had to change according to who was operating it. Instinctively she placed her hand on a blank panel, the residual energy of her Gem Coin providing the base charge needed to activate the start-up computer. The panel opened revealing a row of switches and push buttons. If she flicked them all, the ship would come to life and she would be able to fly wherever she wanted. But today she had no intention of moving the ship out of its carefully maintained orbit.

Instead of starting all the systems, she just switched on the station she needed and took a seat at that console. It took a while for the makeshift interface of her Gem Coin powers to learn the functions of the ship. Once she had received the information she needed though she was quick to activate the communication system. From there she was able to make contact with Zordon's surveillance satellites and to use their long range scans to check for abnormalities on Earth.

The picture quality was poor due to the extreme distance and the magic surrounding the area. With some enhancement she could make out the egg like things she had seen in her dreams.

She turned the scanners towards the Moon, eager to see which of the villains was controlling this new threat. On the throne sat Zedd, his jaw resting on his fist, no doubt bored with the way things were going. Next to him Rita was jumping up and down excitedly, pointing to the eggs and screaming at her husband. It was not a pretty sight. Zedd seemed to eventually take the hint and turned his attention to the planet, the familiar beam of red light shooting from his eyepiece as he gazed at the planet Earth. Then he too seemed to grow excited.

~Interesting,~ Kat thought, ~but not the actions of someone who was calling the shots.~

She turned her attention to Gasket and Mondo's respective bases on the Moon and in orbit, but although the Royal House of gadgetry seemed busy, their reactions were similar to those of Rita and Zedd. Obviously somebody else was responsible for this. She shivered hoping it was not Minion. A quick scan of the planet only revealed the Minion had found a way to cloak himself.

With more questions than answers, any doubts that Kat had had about approaching Zordon were gone. She sent the data received from the satellite to the Power Chamber and then deactivated the onboard systems. She then teleported to the Power Chamber, wondering why she had ever doubted her decision to tell Zordon in the first place.

* * *

The Power Chamber was silent when Kat arrived. Zordon had entered his private dimension and Alpha had closed himself down for the night. Rather than disturb them, Kat had made her way over to the controls and started to work on her own. She was grateful that her transmission had been received since she could arrange the data before disturbing the Power Chamber's occupants.

"You are working late tonight Katherine," Zordon said softly, but the sudden sound caused her to jump.

"Zordon, I didn't want to disturb you," she explained.

"I am aware of your intentions Katherine and commend you on your thoughtfulness. Perhaps if you tell me what the problem is we will be able to get back to sleep."

"Yes Zordon," she agreed.

Kat went on to describe her dream and her discovery. Zordon studied the pictures and agreed with her that something was going on although he did not know what.

"Perhaps when we identify those eggs we will have a clue," he told her. "I will set Alpha to work while you return to your sleep. If this does herald an attack, you will need all your strength."

Kat nodded and teleported home. She didn't go to sleep, but managed to get some rest.

* * *

"Aren't they beautiful Zeddy?" Rita asked as she continued to look down at the planet, keeping close watch on the deliciously evil containers.

Zedd mumbled an agreement. He didn't know where Minion had found such evil creatures or how he planned to control them, but as the Emperor of the Dark Zones he had come to appreciate raw evil talent when he saw it. These 'eggs' had that potential and the battle when they met the Rangers promised to be equally impressive.

"Just think Rita," he said, "if just one of our monsters showed that sort of potential we could have disposed of those pesky kids by now."

"Yeah, but we didn't, did we Zeddy?" she snapped back, her voice trembling with emotion. "All we got is monkey boy and my boneheaded brother." The pretence of being emotionless was gone as she burst into tears. It really was disappointing that of all the capable henchmen in the Universe, she could end up with such a poor collection.

"Perhaps there is a way we can share in this triumph," Zedd stated as he took his wife's chin in his hand, ignoring the protest from Goldar as he did so.

"Perhaps it would be better to find out what those things are," Finster suggested.

"And where do you plan to find that out?" Zedd snapped.

"Earth," Finster stated, his eyes shifting to where Scorpina stood watching the proceedings. "I know the very place."

* * *

"Did you see my love?" Gasket asked.

"Yes," Archerina answered. "My sensors show that for organic creatures they have incredible power."

Gasket nodded sagely. He was a proud heir to the greatest robotic organisation in known space and as such had been programmed to believe that mechanical life would always be superior to organic lives. However, while his father would never consider collaborating with organic villains Gasket was willing to give the matter some thought.

He had easily identified the machinery inside the so-called eggs and had rightly agreed that they were storage capsules and not mere eggs. The energy readings inside appeared powerful, but the cavern where they had been placed looked old. How old he would be unable to decide without approaching the site, from the depth and layers of subsoil, he could determine it was older than many of the tombs on the planet. He suspected that there were some mechanical upgrades he could use to bring whatever was inside under his control.

"We will need to take possession of one of those devices," he said, his eyes never leaving the Earth's surface.

"Yes," Archerina agreed.

* * *

"And that is all I can tell you, your majesty," Klank stated, his thick accent difficult for most to understand, but easily decoded by Mondo's enhanced audio pickup.

"Perhaps we could take advantage of this situation dear," Machina offered, flicking her fan open before her memory banks overloaded from the strain of thinking too hard.

"Perhaps," Mondo agreed.

"But daddy, you said that organic life is inferior," Sprocket protested.

"I think our young prince is going to grow up a credit to the Royal House of Gadgetry," Machina said in a voice that gave the impression of something akin to pride.

"You are quite correct son," Mondo boasted. "Machines are superior, but there is no reason why we cannot turn these creatures to our advantage. With our machine technology we could seize the victory."

"I can build some remote collars to take control of the beasties," Klank offered.

"I have the perfect plan," Mondo stated. "Klank, build me some remote collars that I might control those things."

"Yes, your majesty," Klank said, the unexplained irritation he felt in his cerebral processor not affecting his vocal circuitry. He was after all a loyal servant of the Royal House of Gadgetry and if Mondo wished to think the idea was his own, Klank was not programmed to protest. He bowed and shuffled off to start work.

* * *

The Moon

Over night the various villains attacking the Earth had taken it upon themselves to grab one of the hyperlock units before they could open in the hopes of convincing Minion to share in the forthcoming victory. They still lacked a clear idea of what was inside the eggs although Rita and Zedd had managed to retrieve two of the units and had added as many enchantments as possible to increase the power of whatever was inside without effecting the machinery. Mondo had also obtained two of the containers and had successfully added cybernetic enhancements to them that would allow him to detect when they opened; Gasket had attempted to adapt the units he had stolen, but had lacked the success of his father.

In the early hours of the morning the Moon had been shaken as Minion activated a spell to retrieve his property and the eggs were magically removed and placed back on the Earth where their contents could be revived. No acknowledgement of the theft was given. For all the villains knew their attempts had not been worth noticing.

"My eggs!" Rita screeched.

"Hey sis, they've been spread out," Rito said.

Rita continued to grouse as she shoved her brother out of the way. They had indeed been spread out across the globe - two egg-shaped vessels sharing each nest - and an energy barrier had been built around them to prevent further theft.

"Oh my," Finster exclaimed before trying to hide a book he had stolen. "They must be ready to open. They need only to be positioned and activated. They should be protected until they are free of their shells. If the shell is damaged while they are inside, they'll be destroyed."

"What is that?" Goldar growled, pointing to the book Finster had stuffed behind his back.

Finster tried to protest but Lord Zedd's favoured henchman grabbed it from him, snarling to discourage further argument.

"You did it!" Rita screeched. "You got in and got the book?"

"Yes my queen," Finster answered.

"Perhaps there is hope for you Finster," Zedd mumbled. He flipped a few pages of the book. "Finster, are you certain this information is correct?"

* * *

Power Chamber

"Alpha, are you certain that the information is correct?" Zordon asked.

He had absolute faith in the Power Chamber's vast computer system and even more confidence in Alpha's understanding of the data. Yet Zordon hoped that somehow Alpha had made an error in the calculations, that the energy readings had shown something, anything else. It had been a small hope that Alpha having to resort to searching the human libraries had miscalculated; it had been surprising when the book Evil Beasts and How to Survive, had turned up in a small Freak Zone town.

After all they had been through in recent times with the loss of the Zeo powers and the Rangers' struggle to heal after their battles, the arrival of an alien armada capable of levelling the planet would have been preferable to evil they were about to face.

The Elemental Beasts had according to data been recorded long before Zordon's time. They were said to have been merciless beasts of pure destruction capable of laying waste to galaxy after galaxy. When they moved to a new world, they were stored in hyperlock chambers that were often mistaken for eggs that would open in the new harsh environment in which they were positioned. The more extreme the condition the meaner the beasts became.

At first it had been difficult to discover the beasts' location, but in the last few hours the signal had moved to Earth and the analysis had been completed.

"Yes Zordon," Alpha replied. "The eggs are a type of technology used to store the Elemental Beasts."

"Summon the Rangers," Zordon ordered. "If the Elemental Beasts are in position then they must be ready to be released. The Rangers must be ready to destroy them before they are unleashed."

"Right away Zordon," Alpha responded. "Oh Ai-yi-yi, as if the Rangers didn't have enough to deal with."

"You must have confidence in Tommy and the others," Zordon admonished.

"You're right Zordon," Alpha said. "I just hope they can stop it in time."

* * *

Minion was not so confident of his own abilities that he did not value the idea of outsourcing the more tiresome projects, such as egg sitting to a third party. This time he had chosen the Beast Master to do his bidding. He had been defeated during a great war between the demons that had made Earth their home and the humans that had appeared seemingly overnight. He had seen his people trapped in the caves beneath Dover. It was his race's right to destroy the Earth, one granted to his kind the day their eyes had seen the smoke-filled skies and had breathed the sulphur rich air of their home world. Since that time they had fought to stop the planet from changing.

He could pass as a human in many ways; he had two arms, two legs and a single head. His red skin would be a dead giveaway on Earth, but on some of the more remote planets in the farthest reaches of the Galaxy, he would fit right in. Even the small red scales that were visible on his brow, the muscled physique and the three-foot long horn that adorned the top of his head with two smaller horns emerging from his forehead, chin and each shoulder would not make him an outcast on some planets. Black spikes sprouted from the end of each knuckle, which in combination with his talon gave his a deadly edge.

He had pointed ears, red glowing reptilian eyes - the iris and the outer edges of his eyes were ringed in flame. He had numerous dark grey serrated teeth as well as four prominent fangs. His tongue was a sickly black and resembled a rat's tail. It flicked around the edges of his mouth, testing the air as it did so.

His armour was blood red in colour and was covered by a black cape. The back of his cape had a slit that allowed his large bat-like wings to extend from their hiding place.

He had been destroyed when he had tried to keep Earth as a ball of ash and had been forced to endure the nothingness of Limbo, until he had been freed once more. When Minion had entered the cavern where Arcana had found the containment units and awakened him, he had been sceptical of the villain's plan. When he had seen the storage vessels containing the dormant Elemental Beasts though he had willingly agreed to protect them and to direct them, assuming of course that it was possible to direct them. In the time since Minion had resurrected him, he had been busy reviving some of the dark creatures that had once obeyed him and attempting to awaken his master.

He looked into the sky, sensing the planet's energy beneath him and relaxed. He would allow the Earth to direct his actions. When the Rangers intervened in Minion's path, he would ensure they had more pressing concerns.

* * *

Power Chamber

"We're here Zordon, what's up?" Tommy asked.

"Rangers, I have serious news," Zordon answered. He looked down at his chosen students and their allies; Jason, Billy and Sam, all former Rangers had answered the summons, their assistance would help to counter the additional strain the Rangers would have to endure. "Last night Katherine discovered a strange power source on the Earth. Alpha's research has since revealed that that was a magical nest wizards used a long time ago to imprison demonic creatures, among them the Elemental Beasts. Last night the eggs were removed from the cave where they had been placed and if left the beasts within will be released."

"Rangers, the power of the Elemental Beasts was sufficient to gain a brief mention in galactic texts. On Earth they are legendary among magical society even though they are deemed a myth. According to the information Alpha and I collected, their fighting abilities far outweigh your temporary powers. To defeat them you must destroy the containment units before they open."

"Do you know where they are?" Kat asked.

"Unfortunately Katherine, Minion, if he is responsible for moving the eggs, saw fit to pair them up when hiding them. Two at Mount Veronia in Oregon and two more at the Sherman Dam; two in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the last two were deposited in Ohio, we have no idea why they chose that location."

"Perhaps he intends to use the climatic variances to accelerate the opening," Billy offered as he fiddled with a device.

"So what do we do about it?" Tanya asked.

"We need to reach those containment units and destroy them before their contents are fully revived," Jason stated. It was an obvious strategy and the only approach that was likely to work.

"Jason is correct," Zordon said. "However my scans reveal that only a powerful weapon will be able to destroy the shells now that they have been positioned."

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, if I could connect the Zeo Cannon to the Gem Coins, the Rangers could use it, but the computer says it would be ineffective."

"Aw man, if only I could use the Zeo V Power Sword," Tommy moaned.

"While I cannot isolate the energy core of the Zeo Weapons, perhaps I can determine the position of some alternative serrated edge elongated metallic objects."

Adam smiled at the former Blue Ranger. "You mean you can find us some swords?"

Billy returned the grin and started fiddling with the computer. "Affirmative." Nobody noticed when the device he had been working on suddenly disappeared.

"Zordon, I thought you said Rita didn't have anything to do with them," Rocky said when he noticed some of the henchmen moving through the area.

"That is correct Rocky, the magic involved is different to the type of spell Rita and Zedd favour." Zordon paused as the Viewing Globe showed a nest guarded by Putties. "However, Rita and Zedd have obviously taken advantage of the situation and will attempt to slow your progress. I am afraid Rangers that if you fail in this mission the consequences will be far worse than you can possibly imagine."

"All right Billy!" Jason cried in triumph as three swords appeared on the counter. "You did it."

"Affirmative," Billy replied. "Using the computer I was able to extrapolate the position of the original Megazord's Power Sword, the Thunder Megazord Saber and the Shogun Megazord's Fire Saber. By recalibrating the teleportation system I was able to reduce them to a size that allowed for optimum manipulation."

"Thanks Billy," Tommy said.

Before the Gem Coin Rangers could take up their swords though the alarm sounded.

"Rangers, the Beast Master has been awakened and is attacking Stone Canyon. Although this is no doubt a plan to distract you, the immediate problem must be dealt with before the distant threat. You must deal with him first."

"Who or what is this Beast Master?" Rocky asked.

"The Beast Master like the Elemental Beasts is a creature from a time before early humans inhabited the Earth. He is older than the Elemental Beasts and has existed since the Earth first formed from cooling gases. Many say he arrived on the meteor that crashed into the surface and later formed the Moon. At that time the world was covered with lava and ash. In the time before the Earth cooled he was rumoured to have tried to keep this planet as a lava filled wasteland. He fed off the Ley Lines to bolster his power and watched over the dark creatures that emerged; he later controlled them. When the dark times ended and the dinosaurs evolved, the Beast Master was battled and defeated.

The Beast Master cannot control the Elemental Beasts, but he does have many other dark creatures at his disposal. He will attempt to reclaim the planet by returning it to its former state."

"How can we stop the Beast Master and get to the eggs in time?" Kat asked.

"Tommy, Katherine, Tanya, Rocky and Adam, you must confront the Beast Master first," Zordon stated. "I am afraid he must be your priority."

The column that used to contain the Zeo Crystal rose from the floor. Instinctively the Rangers placed their Gem Coins into the appropriate slots to charge. As much as they wished they could use their Zeo powers, the Zeo Crystal was still in Minion's possession. They were forced to make do with the mixture of Zeo and Morphin energy that the Gem Coins provided. It left the Rangers weaker than they liked, but weakness was something the Rangers had grown used to in recent times.

When a loud ping was heard, they collected their Gem Coins and then it was time for action.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy cried.

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

"Even with makeshift powers, that was impressive," Sam commented once their five friends had left.

"Indeed it was Sam," Zordon replied.

"Alpha, can you find and bring Kimberly, Zack and Trini here?" Jason asked.

"I can try Jason," the little robot replied.

"I suggest you extend your efforts to include Aisha too," Billy said. "The more allies we can enlist the higher our chances of success."

"I agree Billy," Zordon said. "Alpha, locate Aisha, Kimberly, Trini and Zack. Bring them here."

"Tommy's brother could also aid us," Sam stated.

"Again you are correct Sam. Alpha, when the others have been summoned, bring David Trueheart here. While waiting I suggest you head down to Billy's storeroom and collect some accessories." Billy's storeroom was filled with weapons that while useless against the hyperlock units, would make short work of the Putty Patrol.

* * *

"What's the matter Zedd?" Rita cooed as she stared at the eggs. "So we can't get one of the eggs for ourselves, we can always wait for them to destroy the Rangers and then attack. With Tommy and the other preoccupied, nothing can stop the units from opening."

"I know that Rita," Zedd answered patiently. "But if I know Zordon he will try to find outside help and if he brings in the other former Rangers this whole plan could backfire."

His voice had grown angrier with every word and the sparks could be seen flying from the end of his staff.

Rita paled. "Finster! Find a way to keep those brats from interfering."

"Yes Lady Rita," Finster answered, his hand rubbing his chin as he thought. "Perhaps one of the bounty hunting guilds would do?"

"Perfect!" Rita cried excitedly. "Oh this is going to be good Zeddy; all the Rangers wiped out in one go."

Zedd snorted but did not answer. The day that one of their plans worked correctly would be the day his brother admitted he was wrong and returned to the family fold instead of parading around as a - no, he would not think about that disgrace of a sibling. He had better things to do.

**To be Continued **


	13. Friends Reunited

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Friends Reunited

World Peace Conference Switzerland

Trini had known this would not be a good day. She had felt it the moment she had woken up and as the morning had progressed she had felt worse. At present, she was sitting at the reception desk to the university's information center, the place where students and lecturers could go to study and communicate with their families. To teach the importance of communication, students were required to spend a week on the reception desk dealing with queries. This week it was Trini's turn.

Trini enjoyed her time at the Peace Conference even when it appeared that they were making little progress. She had always been a patient person and rarely fought unless she had a good reason. When she had left the Rangers, she had been lucky that her new role seemed to make her feel complete once more.

"Pardon moi, parle vous Anglais?" a voice asked, startling her back to the real world.

She hadn't heard the man approach even though he seemed quite large. A brown hood hid his face.

"Yes sir, how may I help?" she asked politely.

"I am looking for Trini Kwan. I need to deliver a message," he told her, his cold eyes never leaving the desk.

"You've found her," Trini smiled.

"I know." He pulled down his hood to reveal a head of black hair. He was handsome, but for some reason his smile put her on edge.

Trini's right hand moved to her left wrist instead of the panic button. For some reason the answer had made her think like a Ranger instead of a civilian. She backed away from the desk slightly, taking in the number of visitors who were staring at the man's back. What was going on?

"Your friends wouldn't make it in time," he told her. "They'll be on their way as we speak to ask for your help. I want you former Rangers to understand that if you interfere, your friends, your family and your lives will be forfeit."

"I - I don't know what you mean," she insisted, now backing away from the desk.

"I think you do Yellow Ranger. No, not anymore - you were replaced by Aisha weren't you? No matter, you can still serve my purposes." He stepped forward, swatting the desk aside as he advanced on her. "Stay!" he commanded as Trini turned to run. His hand closed around her neck, he was so close now she could smell his breath. "I think you will be the message," he commented before bursting into laughter.

A high pitch whine filled the room causing the occupants to cover their ears just moments before the area burst into flames. Trini didn't need to be told twice as she started running towards the dormitory where delegates from the United States were gathered, wishing as moved that she still wore her communicator instead of the watch she had been frantically tapping in hope of escape.

* * *

Zack groaned and rolled over, wishing his roommate would learn to keep his music down. It was just his luck that Jason's replacement enjoyed talk shows first thing in the morning. By the sound of it, this was one of those shows where the guests didn't stop yelling long enough to start the discussion. He had been up the previous night working on a presentation with some friends. His first class was in two hours and he wanted to get as much sleep as possible. He rolled over and covered his head with his pillow.

"Help!"

That was all he could stand, deciding to have a serious talk with his roommate later on, Zack managed to drag himself out of bed and into the bathroom. After a quick shower and shave he returned to his room and groaned. The argument was still going and seemed louder. He exited his bedroom again into the communal lounge and was surprised to find the room empty. He looked around, searching for the source of the disturbance and realised it was outside - an argument in progress. He opened the door to the hallway slightly and peered through the gap.

Five men stood in the room talking to one of the hall wardens. Two of them were in the front and the other three were in the back. Zack didn't recognise them, but there was something suspicious about the way they spoke and moved. Their speech patterns were sluggish. He closed the door and acting on instinct, made his way to his bedside cabinet.

"... Last chance," a voice outside could be heard shouting.

Zack started to look frantically through his drawers, hoping that he could find his communicator. For some reason he knew he would feel safer once he was wearing the last remaining symbol of his days as a defender of his planet. A bright flash caused him to look at the door. There was a muffled bang and the smell of burning flesh, followed by a dull thud.

KNOCK KNOCK

Zack looked up as the door handle rattled. He didn't know who it was, but instinct told him to run. He silently wished that there was some power in his communicator; Zordon had cut the link to the communicators worn by Jason, Trini, Zack and Kimberly when they had finished their time as active Rangers even though that function had been Billy's discovery and did not rely on the Command Center. For some reason though the White Master had not asked for the devices to be returned.

He heard a loud crack and look over to wear the door was starting to splinter. Another few kicks and the door had been removed from its hinges. The men he had spotted earlier entered the room, but two of them had let their disguises drop; they were obviously Putties. The three in the back he didn't recognize however. They wore black trench coats, black baggy jeans, and red or black T-shirts. One of them even had a hat worn backwards on his head. If Zack didn't know any better, he'd say that they were just normal humans. ~What would humans be doing with Putties?~ he wondered. ~Why would Putties be here without Goldar or Rito?~

Then a different thought came to him, an exciting realisation that for some reason he had been pushed back into the world of the Power Rangers. Until now, Rita and Zedd had left the former Rangers alone, unwilling to face the wrath of a group of former heroes. His thoughts turned to one Zordon of Eltare,

Grid Master and his one time mentor. When Zack had left the Power Rangers along with Jason and Zack, he had been told that when they would return more rounded individuals who would bring more experience to the team. Jason had already returned, but Zack and Trini had chosen to remain within the Peace Conference during its extension period. There had been more work to finish before they could head back to Angel Grove.

But he had missed the old life and the thought that he would have a chance to fight evil one more time excited him. Still he wondered how the Putties had been able to appear without Zordon sending in a team of Rangers to fight them. The three strangers also caused him to wonder what was going on.

The man with the backwards hat moved the Putties out of the way so he could get in front. It was then Zack noticed the horns sticking out of the top of their heads, fiery tails sticking out of their jeans, and long eyebrows that stuck out and curved. Zack felt his stomach clench in fear. Were these Demons? No, they couldn't be. The closest things to demons that Zack had ever seen were Lord Zedd and Lokar, but neither resembled these creatures in physicality. ~If they're not Demons, what the heck are they?~

Whatever they were, Zack knew that they were powerful and that he was in trouble. He could feel a large amount of power coming from somewhere, like a huge wave of energy had suddenly forces its way into his body. It was the strangest sensation Zack had ever felt in his life, only the first time he had called on the Mastodon could compare.

The man looked at first Zack, then the unconscious security guard and finally the two very nervous Putties, an irritated expression on his face, "I thought your master said this was where we could find that Zack Taylor guy," the man growled. The Putties backed away, appearing very nervous in their comrade's presence. "If I wanted to kill a kid, I would've stopped by the adoption agency." The man pulled out a crimson red sword from his trench coat.

"N-n-now there's... no need for... violence g-g-guys," Zack stammered, hoping his voice sounded sufficiently fearful. A way out had been provided and he was going to take it. "I c-c-can go and g-g-get him for... you."

The man rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by Zack's interruption, but something in his body language suggested he was considering Zack's offer. "Get him, bring him here and maybe I'll let you live. Cross me boy and I'll barbeque yo butt." He gestured his sword to the side of the room where there was a window. A ball of flame engulfed the frame, blowing the glass out over the campus.

Zack glared at the demon. ~Pathetic, You'd think he'd at least make a convincing attempt to scare me.~ Right now though, he needed to figure out a way out of there, before things got out of control.

"Go and get him," the man yelled.

The Putties made aggravated noises at the man's ignorance, but Zack was already through the door and heading down the corridor.

"He said that is Zack Taylor," said one of the man's companions, gesturing to a shaky looking Putty. At that Zack accelerated his escape, not so willing for a fight.

"What are you doing?" There was no doubt that growl belonged to Goldar. "Get him." Zack ran ever faster as he heard Goldar complain: "I'm beginning to think that these Packspawn hunters are highly overrated, especially their intelligence level." The 'Packspawn' as Goldar called it, narrowed his eyes into slits and swivelled his sword at the titan's neck.

"You know, you are really startin to work my nerves," The Packspawn cocked his head to the side. He looked as if he were seriously considering chopping off the henchman's head, and unless Goldar could shout out an apology in about a split second he was probably going to.

It was then that another Packspawn strode forward. This one was about a head shorter than the other Packspawn. He had no horns and his eyebrows were normal, his blondish brown hair was done in corn rolls and black sunglasses rested on his head. The only thing that identified him as a Packspawn was the long tail with the fiery tip at the end.

He stepped in between the titan and Packspawn, forcefully pushing the sword to the aggressor's side. "Let the monkey talk mess Boogah," he said casually, "we're here for Taylor; when we finish that then we can deal with this clown." The other' voice was disturbingly calm, the way he handled his taller companion and how he visibly threatened the titan in front of them was remarkable, especially since he had no weapons of his own.

Boogah nodded his head reluctantly, "A'ite Roma, whatever you say." He pretended to step in front of Goldar, making him flinch. "Yeah, betta watch yo self."

Roma shook his head and turned his attention to Zack, who by now had exited the corridor and was on his way to the lobby. He allowed himself a smile when he saw what was blocking the former Black Ranger's escape up ahead; Trini was looking very vulnerable, standing alone by the lift, catching her breath as her pursuer slowly caught up.

"Let's get him." Roma said coldly.

* * *

Trini had decided that discretion was the best course of action and had taken off in the direction of her dormitory. It was only later during discussions she would realise her main concern at the time had been Zack. She reached the elevator just as her pursuer came around the corner. The door closed before he could grab her.

After an eternity, the door opened and she burst into the corridor, heading towards her friend's room. She stopped abruptly when Zack burst through the other doors, running towards her with Putties in hot pursuit. She turned and almost screamed when her attacker emerged from the stairway. They were trapped.

Instead of the usual impending doom most people would feel given the situation, Trini and Zack felt something strange embrace them. It was not a sensation they remembered, but seemed familiar. It definitely wasn't fear, it was...more like a sense of readiness. Already knowing what to expect from the Putties, and Goldar should he choose to interfere, and waiting to study how these Packspawn worked. That was why it felt so weird, despite the time they had been away from active duty, they actually felt truly prepared. It was as if they actually knew what to expect from his enemies and yet they didn't know. It was confusing.

"Bring it on," Zack told them. While he was talking tough though his eyes were searching for a way out. "You don't scare me."

Roma didn't falter at Zack's statement. He raised an eyebrow, soon a small grin spread across his face. Zack didn't see anything funny about it though. "In that case, ya'll can take care of this." He stepped backward to let the man who had been chasing Trini, now revealed as a very babbly Putty, do the dirty work.

"Get them!" Goldar ordered and the three Putties attacked.

Trini narrowed her eyes as she felt anger cut though her, a pride she'd usually stamp out because she knew she couldn't defend it was damaged slightly. She'd run from a Putty, she'd never live that down. She'd show them all right. ~What am I talking about?~ she thought suddenly. ~I don't even want to show them!~

Boogah chuckled to himself and followed Roma to the back. "The boss really exaggerated on this one. Don't underestimate them my butt, that's just a pair of little kids, wastin our time by escortin these fools to beat on kids." Boogah kept on muttering until Roma knocked him upside the head with the back of his hand.

"Keep yo damn mouth shut and watch," Roma said quietly while folding his arms across his chest.

"Sorry boss, I'm shuttin up, won't hear a peep from me, quiet as mouse and stuff like that..." He trailed off as Roma gave him an irritated stare.

"What did I just say?" he said, raising his hand again.

Boogah responded by putting his fingers to his lips and pretending to zip them.

The Putties closed the gap between them and lunged at Zack, ignoring Trini. Zack did a quick back flip, silently thanking whoever had convinced him to take up gymnastics as a way of complementing his fighting technique. His feet and fists lashed out, taking down two of the Putties in rapid succession. The third one had already fallen to Trini deadly moves. Without questioning how they had just defeated their enemies so quickly without their Ranger enhanced sense, Zack and Trini did the first and most important thing that mattered at the moment.

"Run!" Zack shouted.

"Where?" was Trini's reply.

Zack stopped short. Trini was right; if they ran back to their rooms they would endanger the other delegates, but to get to the lift meant hoping they could get past Goldar and his companions. They had no choice but to stay and fight.

"What's this all about Goldar?" Zack asked.

"Lord Zedd has decreed you will not be allowed to aid your former comrades," Goldar growled. "So he sent us to make sure you were taken care off."

That said Goldar attacked. This time Zack jumped up high into the air to avoid the titan while Trini ducked low and delivered a very painful punch that had the gold monkey keeled over. Zack flipped and landed lightly next to his teammate. Pushing off from the rail to give him more momentum, Zack twisted in the air and stretched his leg out in a sideways kick. One of the Putties was starting to stand up and had enough sense to duck out of the way of Zack's careening foot, but the other two weren't so lucky and instead got the foot in their faces. Trini moved in on the surviving Putties, unleashing a few well directed blows until they had enough and retreated. Goldar recovered and charged, but Trini and Zack were already countering, laughing as the titan flew back several feet and crashed into the closed stairwell, bits of rubble and debris fell from inside of it, covering him like a blanket.

Zack, who had landed in a crouching position, slowly stood up. He smiled at the handy work he had just caused, 'Maybe this might not be so bad after all.' He had to admit, even though it had seemed rather barbaric to inflict so much pain on such simple creatures.

The sound of clapping made him snap his head to the side, alert and ready for anything. Beside him he felt Trini tense.

He saw that Roma was slowly applauding them, a large malicious grin on his face. "Bravo," he congratulated, his tail swinging to the rhythm of his clapping. "Not bad for a kid and a girl. Guess old Zedd wasn't exaggerating after all."

Zack smiled at the so-called compliment Roma gave him. He laughed slightly, staring up at the remaining three men with absolutely no humour in his expression.

"Why don't you just leave now, and save yourselves from getting a butt kicking," Trini asked, her voice cold and so menacing that it even surprised her.

Roma gave a harsh laugh that sounded like choking. "Oh okay, so we gotta cocky little b..."

"Don't say it!" Trini warned.

"...to handle now huh." He looked from Boogah to the other Packspawn without hearing her words. "Sorry kid, but I'm gonna have to turn down yo offer."

"A'ite then boys," he snapped his fingers; the two Packspawn instantly stepped forward and drew their swords out, both glowing red in the light. "Why don't you two handle this, but don't go over board, I wants them alive for fun."

"Heh, heh, time to turn yo cute little behind into chop suey," said Boogah, his eyes gleaming with an insane sort of anticipation. Trini didn't respond. She silently got into a ready position, holding out his arm and gesturing his hand for the Packspawn to 'just bring it.'

Boogah growled, charging at her with a speed Trini was astonished she could follow. She sidestepped, attempting to slice him with his sword horizontally. Trini dodged it by jumping backwards and then back flipped to provide some distance. Boogah came at her again a second after his feet touched the ground.

Zack heard Roma smack his forehead in frustration, "Did I or did I not just say not to kill her?" he muttered.

Ignoring Roma, Boogah, this time, swung his sword at her vertically and Trini had to spin behind him to dodge it, but Boogah followed her move by turning slightly, then quickly swinging it horizontally again, hoping to catch her off guard. Trini bent all the way back, feeling a breeze pass her as the sword sliced the air across her face and body. She let her hands touch the floor doing a sort of curved handstand. She bent her elbows in, and with all her might she pushed upward and kicked Boogah in the face with both her feet, before he could cleave her down the middle. As Boogah flew backwards, Trini landed forward in a crouching position.

Trini watched as Boogah slid down the wall, hit and land on the floor in a heap. He blinked in confusion and rubbed his jaw. He gaped at Trini, opening and closing his mouth without any words coming out. "What the hell..." he finally muttered. He shook his head, "Dwanin, don't just stand there like a dummy! Help me!"

Zack sensed more then heard Dwanin's movements, as the other Packspawn ran towards him. He grabbed the Packspawn's wrist, just as he was about to slice Zack vertically down the middle from behind. Zack flipped him over his shoulder, where he landed on the floor hard on his back, his black trench coat streaming downward like a waterfall. Zack delivered a high axe kick aiming for the Packspawn's head. Dwanin rolled out of the way just in time, instead Zack hit the floor, pieces of wood and concrete unearthed from the blow flew around everywhere.

But before Dwanin could compose himself and counter, Zack had already yanked his foot out of the floor, doing a back round house kick, hitting Dwanin in the face. Like Boogah, and in the same direction, Dwanin went flying back in the air. Unfortunately though, this was around the time that Boogah had righted himself and stood up, dusting off his trench coat. He looked up to see Dwanin's body coming at full speed towards him.

His eyes widened, "Oh crap." Dwanin landed on top of Boogah, a couple of cracks suggested that Dwanin had broken a few bones, his and Boogah's.

"I knew we should have come in our true forms," Boogah said thickly. Gaining his senses, Boogah vehemently pushed Dwanin off of him, "Get offa me!"

Dwanin rolled back to his feet muttering a quick, "My bad."

"Okay, wanna play rough now do ya?" said Boogah, raising sword in front of him. "Alright then, I can play dirty to. Come on Dwanin let's double team them." Dwanin complied by raising his own sword at the ready as well.

Trini and Zack backed up, unsure what to do. So far they had allowed their instincts to dictate their movements. Both had already gotten used to the instant karate thing, and even though they were out numbered, they knew that together they had the upper hand.

The Packspawns had obviously underestimated them, so - either they were extremely stupid or they were just being lazy - their fighting skills were sluggish and slow. It wouldn't be too hard to beat them up enough to make an escape. But still, there was still an understated sense of power about them that made Zack and Trini cautious. It would have been a lot easier if they had had a weapon or something, a working communicator would have been a great asset.

Zack was silently wishing that he had his Power Axe or even a Blade Blaster to hand. He wasn't ashamed to admit that they were facing creatures that most humans would rather die than confront, and so far they had been lucky. Zack had never trusted in luck to the extent that it made him overconfident. Well, maybe when it came to trying to impress Angela.

Trini was thinking along similar lines, remembering how many serious injuries her uniform had protected her from serious injury. She recalled the Power Dagger, sleek and deadly - a match for many of the monsters Rita had thrown at them.

The two Packspawn charged at the Ranger with their swords pointed in front of them, Zack ducked and swept both of their legs from under their feet. Trini tumble-rolled over the fallen bodies and with Zack close behind, ran through the doors to the delegates' rooms. Through the door, they kept moving, hoping to find something they could use. Trini smashed the case on the fire alarms, knowing that the few delegates still there would hurry out the fire escape, thus avoiding more casualties.

Boogah, gaining his footing, got back up and ran through the door, changed direction and ploughed at Zack with his sword pointed in front of him.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to run around with sharp objects?" Zack said mockingly.

This only infuriated Boogah more, making his aim even less accurate. He attempted to cleave Zack, unbeknownst to him making it all the more easy to dodge. Zack jumped up, twisting in midair; he landed a few feet behind Boogah. Just as he sliced one of the conference benches in half - not a complicated task given how sharp the blade was.

Trini sensed Dwanin trying to sneak up from behind her again. She grabbed a mop from an abandoned bucket and twisted it around, she hit Dwanin upside the head. Dwanin spun and then fell to the ground with a thud.

Boogah abruptly ceased attacking Zack and tried to sneak up on her, hoping that she was distracted with Dwanin. But Zack saw his intentions and shouted a warning, which Trini heard before she noticed the Packspawn from the corner of her eye. She twirled the mop, and then jabbed the handle into Boogah's stomach. Hearing him exhale in pain, Zack grabbed a broom and flipped it up to hit Boogah hard in the face with the bristles. Boogah's head snapped back, with his hands on his face he staggered backwards and almost tripped.

Trini and Zack heard a growl coming from one side, suggesting that Dwanin had recovered. Boogah was also shaking off the recent blows they had given him. They were on either side of the two humans and nothing short of expert timing could aid them. If they timed this one just right, then maybe they would be able to fully knock their two attackers out.

The creature came running at them at full speed, both vertically swung their swords at the same time. Zack jumped to avoid one and then jabbed the broom handle down hard on the blade while Trini did the same with her mop, locking them in place. Using the broom as a crutch to pull himself up, Zack did a rising split kick and caught both of the Packspawn in the chin. Both of them flew back, their swords wrenched out of their hands.

Zack slid down the wall, landing straight up on the floor. Trini was next to him, both exhausted from their ordeal. Suddenly Trini sensed something coming towards them really fast from behind. She managed to get half the warning out, but there was no time to dodge it. Zack put his arms up in an attempt to block whatever was coming at him while Trini adopted a low stance, hoping to remain upright. Neither attempt succeeded; both teens were hit at full force. The impact caused them to go flying back, crashing into one of the canteens and landing hard on the concrete floor.

Zack moaned as pain exploded in his back and arms. The wind had been knocked out of him, a few moments passed and he was finally able to breathe. It took a few more moments for Zack to register what had happened. As if to answer his unasked question, Roma, with a sinister smirk on his face, appeared in the mangled entryway. He cracked his head from side to side, "If you want something done right," Roma said while cracking his knuckles, "you gotta do it yourself."

Roma flexed his arms out, cracking more muscles. He set his eyes upon Zack with menacing mirth. "Guess it's just you and me Zacky boy." Zack's eyes widened as Roma gestured to where Trini laid unmoving, blood visible on the floor. Roma stretched out his right arm and rolled up his sleeve. It glowed a deep blood red before his dark brown skin morphed into a silvery sword. He sliced the air a bit, testing his new limb out. He smiled at the shocked look Zack had on his face.

"Cool huh?" was all he said, before he jumped high into the air and did a flip. He hovered over Zack, his sword arm swinging down aimed for his head. Zack rolled out of the way. Roma stabbed the ground instead; his body crouched down in the crater he had created. Zack scrambled to his feet. Roma looked at him, pulling out his sword arm from the tiled kitchen floor.

"Why don't you be a good little boy and let Uncle Roma gut you like a fish?" He lunged at Zack with a barrage of complicated sword manoeuvres, which Zack of course couldn't possibly counter, the former Black Ranger was only human and Roma was much faster then the other two Packspawn. The Putties and Goldar weren't even worth a comparison. Zack tried to dodge the strikes as best he could, but eventually Roma got through his defence.

The Packspawn feinted a punch with his real hand, and did a roundhouse kick which hit Zack hard in the sternum. He went flying backward his body smashing into the serving hatch, a dent curved around him from the collision. Pain wracked through his chest, he must have landed on one of the fixed shelves. All he could see was red. He wiped his eyes and found blood smeared on the back of his hand.

Just as Zack had cleared his vision, Roma was already bounding towards him. Zack twisted out of the way, as Roma attempted to stab him again. His arm sword struck the hatchway instead. Roma went for a snap kick at Zack's head, even though his arm was still stuck. Zack actually managed to throw the blow aside, but was not quick enough to catch the knee that followed.

Roma grinned evilly as he lifted his entire leg up, with Zack still attached. He bent in his leg and then snapped it out as hard as he could, sending Zack flying back smack into the wall.

Zack slid painfully down the wall, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. He stayed down, trying to catch his breath but also thinking of a way to stop this nutcase. Fighting mindlessly was definitely out; he actually needed a plan now. His time to think expired though as Roma closed in for the kill. So unable to make a rational choice, Zack did something unexpected and wasteful.

"Mastodon!" he cried as he held up his hands to block the final blow.

It was a painful experience for Zack as his subconscious recalled the methods it had used to draw on the Power during his days as a Ranger. He lacked a Power Coin, having transferred it to Adam during the Power Transfer, but had retained his Power Morpher. At his call the Morpher had appeared in his hand, though without the Power Coin to help regulate the process, the energy ran rampant through every cell in his body, limited only by the established pathways that now acted to direct the overload.

Roma backed off as Zack started to convulse with black light. The boy's aura started to become more discernable as his cries grew louder. He swept the blade down, determined to kill the boy before anything else happened, but the weapon could not approach the screaming human, the energy rippling around him prevented such an attack.

Zack's eyes opened suddenly and he watched as Roma took a step back. He looked down at himself and saw his clothes had changed. Without a Power Coin to contain the template, the Power had searched for a suitable form. Thus he found himself wearing a loose black top, somewhat reminiscent of the outfits worn by the Ninja Rangers, and a pair of loose pants. In one hand was a long handled wooden battle-axe.

Trini heard the clink of metal on metal as Roma and Zack fought. She looked up and stared as her friend drove the blunt end of the axe handle into his opponent. Sparks flew as the weapon's keen edge made contact with Roma's blade.

Roma quickly retreated and studied his blade, making sure that its perfect frame wasn't damaged or scratched.

"What's the matter, giving up already?" Zack asked. He wasn't eager to fight, but wanted to keep the advantage he had gained. Not to mention that while Roma was focussed on him, Trini was safe.

Trini climbed back to her feet more slowly than she would've liked. There was a pounding in her head, and she felt like Bulk was sitting on her chest. She brought her hand up to her mouth and wiped the blood that was trickling down her chin. Finally, while spitting some more blood out with the turn of her head, she was able to take in the battle as it progressed.

Roma though, didn't even grimace at Zack's challenge. His calm demeanour was extremely unnerving, but Zack tried to keep his cool on the outside, no matter how shaky he was on the inside. Roma smirked and bent his knees in, like a wild beast would do when getting ready to pounce on their prey. ~Close enough,~ Zack thought. After all, he did feel like Roma's prey and Roma, despite his appearance, fit the part of a carnivorous beast perfectly.

"Hold up Roma, I got this covered." Roma stood back up startled. Once seeing that it was Boogah, he immediately calmed down and changed his expression to that of annoyance.

"Boogah, what are you doing?" Roma asked lazily, as if knowing that his answer was going to something stupid.

Boogah pulled a wicked-looking scythe from his trench coat. He smiled eagerly at Roma, "I'm fixin to finish these kids off so we can hurry up and leave." Boogah raised the weapon and turned it so Roma could see the transparent edge. Roma's face fell.

Boogah looked pointedly at Zack, "what's with the change of clothes?"

As he spoke, he was subconsciously turning the tool just enough for Trini to see the blade. It was sparking gently in the air and although almost invisible, she could sense how sharp the blade was. There were words etched in another language along the weapon's length, but after about a few seconds of studying them, Trini deciphered what it meant. Her eyes widened and all the colour drained from her face.

Boogah smiled with superiority, thinking that Trini was suddenly frightened for a completely different reason. "Pretty smart huh? It was hard to find it in the storeroom, but I finally found this little beauty." Both Roma and Trini flinched as Boogah swiped the blade through the air, but for very different reasons. Zack looked at them with confusion in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Boogah asked Roma urgently. It was a rare thing indeed when Roma ever looked worried about something.

Roma swallowed, he morphed his sword back into his arm. "D-d-Boogah," he stammered nervously. "Which storeroom did you get that out of?"

"The blue one," he said slowly. "Why?"

Roma's face suddenly turned the shade of off-white, "This wouldn't happen to be the one that had 'Do Not Enter' engraved on it, would it?"

Boogah raised an eyebrow, "Well yeah," he said plainly. "But you know how people only put that up there to keep thieves away."

Noticing that Zack was silently ebbing away and Trini followed suit. But whereas he would likely survive what was to come, she predicted her death was now a good possibility.

Roma's expression suddenly turned to that of anger, "Boogah are you out of your mind!?" he yelled. "That's not our storeroom! That was Jas' storeroom, and you know how protective she is about her things!"

Boogah furrowed his eyebrows and scratched his head with his free hand. "If she didn't want me to use it, why did she leave it lying around?"

"She didn't you great pudding! She left it locked in her storeroom where anyone who entered is hunted down and destroyed" There was a brief silence following the statement, the new information sinking in to Boogah's particularly thick skull.

"She won't mind if I borrows it?" Boogah gasped. He looked down at the scythe with a fear that was meant for being trapped in a pit of lions, a fate he would have preferred compared to the anger of the scythe's rightful owner. He yelled out, "Holy sweet mother of Javius! Get this thing away from me!" Boogah juggled with the scythe, jogging in place and looking frantic.

Roma, still in a silent panic himself, tried to calm his idiotic gang member, "Boogah, stop moving around and send it back to the storeroom before she realises and kills us all... again! That thing was not built just to destroy mortals you know. That's an Angel Buster!"

Boogah ignored him and continued to toss the object from one hand to the other, like it was something really hot that he couldn't keep in his grasp. Finally Boogah reached a conclusion that if he could at least kill his target he would have a bargaining chip. He directed the blade in a lazy arc towards Trini's retreating form. Things seemed to go in slow motion as the tiny blade cut through the air.

Then her old Morpher was in her hand and Trini practically screamed the words she had thought she would never hear again: "Saber-toothed Tiger!"

The tip of the scythe cut into the floor, but Trini was already gone, whisked away by her renewed instincts. She was dressed in a uniform very similar to Zack's costume, except hers was yellow. As the weapon moved towards her again, it was met with the firm resistance of two crystal daggers. Using one to pin the weapon in place, she used the other to slice easily through the scythe's wooden handle.

"She's goin to kill me!" Boogah screamed as he realised what had happened.

Booooommmmm!

Boogah's rage was unleashed, clearing the hallway as Zack, Trini, Dwanin and Roma were thrown savagely through the air, outside the building and onto the ground below. Shards of glass from the windows, fire, and debris went flying around everywhere. Both Zack and Roma slid down and landed on their backs in the dewy grass. Trini rubbed her head as she landed, still dazed by the explosion. She saw the flames engulf half of the building and wondered how they would explain such destruction to the conference organisers.

Zack was not feeling optimistic as he picked himself up. He could see his parents' reactions. He inwardly groaned, "Mum and Dad are going to kill me," he muttered. There was no way in hell he could explain this one.

"Not before I do," he heard Roma say next to him. He was already to his feet, his arm morphed back into the silvery sword. His silhouette was even more menacing in the firelight. He may not have been a demon, but with his fiery tail swinging in back of him, and his arm sword glinting in the light, certainly made him look like something that had to have originated from hell.

Zack scooted back as Roma pointed his sword at his neck. "Make it easier for the both of us, and just come along quietly," he said as if closing the matter. Zack needed to think of something fast if he was going to go with the plan he had earlier. He glanced up; as if asking the heavens for an idea. About two stories up, he noticed that his room's window was slightly ajar.

Zack widened his eyes in fear and pointed a trembling finger towards the burning house, "Uh, your friend Boogah looks like he needs some help!" Zack yelled urgently.

Roma twisted around, "Boogah you little..." he stopped in mid-sentence. Seeing nothing but flames behind him. That was Zack's cue to hop to his feet and then jump up to the window. It was a lot less complicated then he thought, - his room was about two stories high - all he had to do was crouch down and push his feet upward. He grabbed the windowsill, looking down he saw Roma turn his head from side to side and scratch it in confusion. Zack decided to give him a little hint.

He whistled. Roma shot his head up, trying to find the source of the sound. Zack smiled down at him, "Yoohoo! Looking for somebody goat boy!?" Zack called at Roma. Before Roma could respond Zack sat himself on the sill, and hurriedly opened the window so he could fit through it.

The floor boards felt warm under his feet, pretty soon the fire that had started in the kitchen would rise and burn the through it completely. Zack didn't linger. He ran for his door and swung it open, smoke filtering in from the hallway. He heard some glass shattering. Out of reflex he turned around to see Roma breaking through the window and slipping in.

"Come here boy!" he shouted insanely. "You ain't goin no where!"

Zack ran out of the room, swinging the door shut behind him. It was a simple act of stalling, knowing fully well that Roma could bust through the wood in a matter of seconds. Which he did of course, using his sword arm to slice it diagonally and a quick kick to knock the two remaining pieces away. Zack was already at the end of the hallway by the time that happened. He tugged on a string that was stung up in the ceiling. A grey ladder slid down from it and Zack quickly climbed up it to the upper maintenance room. Zack heard footsteps from below as he pulled the latter back up and slammed the door down.

"Oh where the hell did the boy go? Oh where the hell could he be?" He heard Roma's muffled voice from below sing. "Come out come out wherever you are! You wouldn't want to make Uncle Roma mad now would you? Otherwise he might end up doing things that he's not sure he doesn't want to do to poor helpless Trini."

Zack disregarded Roma's chanting and rummaged around the attic. There wasn't very much space, so Zack had to hunch slightly to walk around. ~Now let's see what we have here?~ he thought as sifted through some boxes, silently wishing he had Trini or better still Adam with him. He was looking for the lubricants the janitors used on the elevators. ~Bingo!~ It wasn't what he wanted, but it would do. Zack opened the box marked: Fireworks. Rockets, poppers, firecrackers, sparklers, and pinwheels were placed jumbled together. Zack had his eye on a particularly large rocket. Zack pulled out some string and wire, wrapping it around his hand.

An explosion sounded, making Zack stumble into the fireworks and the pile of toilet rolls one of the cleaners that had been stored for easy access. Zack cautiously turned around. His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he scooted backwards, automatically wanting to distance himself. Coming from the entrance into the room was a beam of pure reddish orange fire, spiralling upward through the roof and endlessly into the sky. Zack's uniform flailed about uncontrollably in front of him, obscuring his vision slightly. The beam was like a black hole; Zack tried to keep a grip on something so as not to be pulled into its fiery depths. The fire twisted into itself and then disappeared, small flames detached from it and easily spread throughout the wooden room.

Soon after the show of fire, two hands clasped on the frayed edges of the attic's entryway, followed by the menacing face of Roma. "Heeeeeere's Johnny!" he said as he pushed the rest of his self in.

Zack stood to his feet, getting ready to put his plan into the action. ~I hope this works.~ Zack quickly sprinted fowards, making it look like he was going to fight him head on.

Roma bought it and rubbed his hands together, ready for another easy victory. "So we're going to start that mess again. A'ite boy, show me what you got." With that, Roma charged at Zack, full speed.

Zack measured his distance between them, he waited until they were about a couple of feet apart before he dropped and did a sideways slide on the floor. Taken by surprise, Roma stopped in his place. His legs were open just wide enough for Zack to slide through them and then quickly hopped back to his feet. Roma bent over and looked at Zack from between his legs, upside down, his tail swishing back and forth. "What the hell is wrong wit you?" Roma asked him clearly confused.

Zack simply smiled evilly. Suddenly, all Roma knew was pain as Zack grasped his tail firmly in his hand. Roma straightened up rigidly, turning towards Zack with his face scrunched up in pain. "Why you lousy little moth... leggo of my tail!" he yelled. If anything, Zack's grin grew even more evil.

"If you say so," Zack said casually, a little too casually. He let go of Roma's tail, but didn't stop there. While Roma snatched his tail back and caressed it in his hand trying to straighten out the flame, Zack did a snap kick that hit Roma in the back.

Roma landed head first in the clutter of boxes and junk. Ropes, wires, and strings wrapped around him as he fruitlessly tried to get himself out of it. He jerked an old birdcage off his head and through it to the side. He stared up at Zack with an expression of absolute fury on his face.

"You've done gone too far, home boy! You mess wit the tail and it's over!"

Zack's grin widened. Roma stared at him confused for a moment until finally, he noticed the string he was toying with in his hand. His eyes slowly followed the string, which led down to Zack's feet, and then led a pathway that ended inside of some boxes with a whole bunch of fireworks entangled in them... the same box he was entangled in! Roma looked back up at Zack with panic as realization dawned on him. He saw that Zack now had a piece of wood that was lit from the fire he had caused. He was twirling it around in his fingers whistling while he did so. Zack fooled around with the string and the fire, pretending to light it, but pulling it away at the last second.

Roma gulped, "You wouldn't dare," he said, almost pleadingly, "would you?"

Zack's grin spread wider, then he cleared his throat and sounded his voice as if he were a flight attendant. "You are now attending Zack Potter airlines, please keep all remaining appendages together before you take flight, in case of an emergency, you can use your pants as a flotation device." Zack laughed as the colour faded from Roma's face as he desperately tried to disentangle himself from his bindings.

"Launching in t-minus five, four, three, two, one and..." He lit the string, not even a split second passed before it quickly slithered down the path to its target. "Give my regards to Riddle," he hissed, before diving behind some junk.

The sound of blasting off filled Zack's ears. He brought his knees to his chest and braced himself. There was a huge explosion, followed by Roma's screams of "I'ma get you! You're gonna pay for this!" Zack looked up to see that his roof was gone. It was shooting upward, along with the spark that was Roma, into the sky. It swivelled on and on endlessly, until finally, it seemed to stop in midair and completely blow up in a show of beautiful colours that painted the dark night sky. Zack stared on in awe at the colourful lights above, ignoring the strong gusts of wind from the newly open wound in the building.

Zack was rudely snapped out of his trance as a support beam fell only two inches away from him, the wood wrapped in fire. The blast, as Zack had predicted would happen earlier, had caused a fire that was already surrounding him from all sides. He stayed to the ground, smoke was rising steadily and eating the remaining oxygen in the room. More explosions from below suggested that the fire had spread throughout the lower floor.

Fire and smoke clouded his vision, everything down stairs was likely on fire, and more fire was licking through the floor. This was a very bad situation to be in right now. Zack desperately needed to figure out how to get out of this mess, before the smoke fogged up his mind, and the fire finally overwhelmed him as well as the conference center.

Dwanin had awakened expecting to find an easy target, but instead discovered Trini, armed and looking decidedly dangerous. She twirled her daggers in her hand, daring him to attack. Without Boogah there, Dwanin did the sensible thing and retreated.

Trini stared after him for a moment before turning her attention to the upper storey, just in time to see Roma fly through the window. The fire was catching though and from the looks of it Zack was having difficulty getting free.

Using line-of-sight, she teleported to where her teammate was and tried to drag him out. The floor gave way just as both Rangers were enveloped by light and teleported to the relative safety of the Power Chamber.

* * *

"Sire, the Rangers have teleported two humans to their headquarters," Klank reported.

"So the Rangers are seeking backup," Mondo mused. "Who were the humans?"

"Trini Kwan and Zack Taylor, both reported by Rita Repulsa as Zordon's first Rangers."

"I bet he's trying to recruit them again Daddy," Sprocket said.

"A brilliant observation my son," Mondo told the pint-sized machine. "And if Zordon was willing to find two former Rangers, he might seek out the others. Klank, I want all former Rangers destroyed."

"It shall be done Sire," Klank replied before shuffling away.

* * *

Somewhere in Kenya

Sometimes you can be comfortable in a place without realising that you don't belong there. Sometimes it can take an unexpected event to open your eyes to reality. For one teenager events were about to move beyond her control and leave her with the option of going along for the ride or losing her grip on reality as the strain became too much. Aisha Campbell had never been one to back down from any situation.

Aisha closed her eyes, tipping her face up to the cloudless sky above. It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining down on the savannah and the usual summer heat lifted by a cool breeze. It was days like this that made a girl glad to be alive. Dropping her face from the morning sky, Aisha scanned her surroundings, a wistful look in her dark eyes. She loved Africa, and loved working with animals, and nothing would ever change that. But - somehow it didn't seem like she belonged here anymore.

When she had been sent into the past she had known it was right for her to remain and help the animals. It had been a long and tortuous time trying to find a cure for the plague, but something told her she was close. Since the plague had subsided, she had felt differently.

Part of the reason for her feelings was the withdrawal symptoms from the loss of her powers. While the others had been able to deal with the side effects, Master Vile's time distortion had changed her body's metabolism, meaning that the Power had taken longer to drain from her body. It had been over a year before the symptoms had appeared and they had lasted for quite some time. That combined with the emotional turmoil of losing her friends and the mental strain of having two sets of memories concerning her childhood, had caused her to question whether she belonged in Kenya.

Aisha sighed again. It was true, she really missed her friends in Angel Grove. Zordon had allowed her to keep her communicator when she had left on the Zeo Quest, but it had never been reactivated when time had been set back to normal.

~They can manage without me, they already have a Yellow Zeo Ranger and plenty of replacements if anything happens to Tanya,~ she thought with slightly more bitterness than she expected.

Of course the chances of returning to America were slim and she knew it. Her mother loved her work with the tribe and her father was a renowned doctor. In the ten years they had been there, her parents had helped to ensure the plague had not spread to the human population.

With their help the tribe had grown and developed - using the grants the Campbells obtained to improve the quality of life for all of the tribe. They now had fresh wells and a school in which to educate the children. Their stand-in teacher Joe Armstrong had left a month ago, saying something about personal business. Although during his time there he had remained aloof, she had trained with him on a few occasions and almost beaten him, a feat that was very rare according to his friend. In return Joe had taught her new meditation katas to allow her body and mind to become a single weapon.

"Something's wrong!" She was not sure how she knew, but suddenly a feeling of darkness had closed in around her. Looking down she noticed the red beam of light reflecting off her clothing. With a squeal she jumped to her feet and dove for cover. She may not have been an expert, but she knew a targeting beam when she saw one. Hunters on Earth rarely used them, but they were, according to the brief conversations she had with Billy since his return, all the rage on other worlds. The fact that such a beam had been highlighting her right arm made her suspicious and she decided to hide until she knew what was going on.

* * *

"Well?" King Mondo asked as his latest creation returned.

"She is reactive and smart. She chose to remain hidden when many organics might have attempted to tackle me. I don't believe I will find her much of a challenge, I predict less than one percent likelihood of failure."

The metal monarch nodded. After fighting the Rangers for a while, he had decided to review his tactics to figure out why his plans had failed on Earth. He had come to a conclusion about the failure to conquer Earth. First, he realised he had failed, as had the other villains, to recognise the dedication the Rangers felt to their planet and each other. The human species was on the whole illogical and over emotional. This was a common trait although on Earth it was even stronger. The Machine Empire had underestimated the Rangers and that was a mistake. Luckily such mistakes could be eliminated with the right programming.

The seek-and-destroy mission he had set for his new creation was as much for research as it was to prevent Aisha's retrieval. He had used one of Klank's rejected designs and programmed it to behave like a human bounty hunter. Of course it was also equipped with state of the art weaponry.

Now Mondo looked at his creation. Currently she had removed all her hunting costume and stood before him in the plain green flight suit she wore during recharging periods. Her long black hair had been tied into a single ponytail, in the end of which a blade had been inserted. Her eyes burned with an intensity the robot had not seen in a while. She was seductive and deadly, but most importantly she was a machine.

Synthetic flesh allowed her to resemble a human female, but beneath the fake skin, blood and muscle, was a cold killing machine with a super fast processor. In some ways she was more advanced than the Royal House of Gadgetry's leaders, but that was only at first glance. No matter how advanced her components were, they were obsolete compared to Mondo.

Mondo did not know why she chose her current guise, she could in fact alter her skin tone and hair colour to meet her needs; chemical processors contained in her chest cavity allowed her to manipulate her body's bone structure and fat content as well. She had no limitation on the body she could assume - height, weight and even gender were not a factor. The ability to confuse was one of his creation's greatest powers. The second greatest was the triple phased power core that maintained her energies. The core boosted all of her powers, but had a failsafe so if on the brink of defeat, she could overload it and self-destruct, taking her prey with her.

"I believe you will be successful. I have programmed you with all the skills you will require to attain victory. Now leave and do not return without a former Ranger."

"I will get you your Ranger, King Mondo," the robot stated.

Raising her left arm to tap in the activation code for her weapon systems. A loud beep signalled that her systems were powered up. She then tapped in two-seven-six, activating all of Mondo's programming.

Silver plating attached to cover the knees, elbows, chest, throat and back. The suit she was wearing thickened and a helmet appeared to cover her head. A black visor slid down to cover the eyes. Black gloves and boots finished the armour. All this was an elaborate hoax, all that really changed was the position of the metal plates that made up the majority of her body.

After slinging the hunting rifle onto her back and securing the strap over her shoulder, she nodded to her master. Mondo returned the nod and pointed his staff at her, opening one of the transport corridors he relied on for moving his troops. She stepped through and the doorway closed. Her next stop would be Earth.

* * *

Aisha had already decided that waiting around was not in her best interest. Her first thought was to return to the village and talk things through with her aunt. Maybe Ashalla would have some idea about contacting Zordon. Aisha didn't know who had been targeting her, but she had a bad feeling and that was enough to put her on alert.

"Alpha, Zordon," she said, activating her communicator on the off chance it had been reconnected without her knowing it. Sometimes Zordon's gift of prescience caused him to make preparations without telling his students. She sighed when the device remained silent. "No such luck."

~I wish I had my powers, then at least if I was in trouble I could morph,~ she thought. ~Providing of course it's not poachers.~

The thought that it might be game hunters made her feel a little better. But she was still on guard as she made her way back towards the village. She stopped when she heard a faint click followed by a soft whine like an engine powering up. She saw a movement just ahead of her and recognised the barrel of a gun in the bushes.

Aisha ducked to the ground as a laser bolt flew over her head. That answered any doubts she had. She was under attack. Forcing herself to remain calm Aisha followed the process she had learnt when she first became a Ranger. After checking to ensure there were no civilians nearby she looked around for the nearest cover. Carefully calculating the odds, she took off, hoping to get into the undergrowth.

A sharp pain caught Aisha in the shoulder seconds before she ducked into cover. Looking down she could see the fabric of her clothes still smoking from the shot. Obviously whoever or whatever was out there was aiming for her. Aisha was never more thankful that she had maintained her training during her time in Kenya and for the thick foliage, which now allowed her to remain hidden. She was also thankful the weapon had been set to kill. Kill bolts only worked on direct hits, otherwise they just caused injury. Stun blasts however only needed a glancing blow and would have dropped her like a rock.

Peering over the top of the bushes, she looked for the shooter. She could see nothing except the red targeting beam, which gave her an idea. Keeping the red beam in her sights at all times, she was able to move around her attacker.

*Move!*

Aisha jumped as a torrent of blaster fire ripped through her hiding place. Landing on the ground, she found herself rolling away from the shooter who was trying to hit her.

*Look out, right!*

Aisha shifted her attention to the right and saw a small metallic ball lying in her path. She tried to stop rolling, but it was too late. The ball exploded, revealing the miniature Cogs that had been placed inside. On exposure to the open air they rapidly grew to their full size. Instinctively Aisha ducked into a defensive stance, unsure of how to combat this new threat and hoping the shooter would not take advantage of the distraction.

The Cogs moved swiftly towards her, their robotic hands attempting to grab her as they drew near. She tried fighting, but after hurting her hand on the cold metal, she decided it was better to rely on her speed and to dodge the robots.

*Back of the knees!*

~How do I know that?~ Aisha wondered as she ducked another fist before kicking her opponent in the back of the knee. It made sense in hindsight. Regardless of materials used, the back of the knees was a common weakness since they could not be reinforced without restricting movement.

Guri swore in machine code. She had been programmed with some of Mondo's more colourful language, namely the words he used beyond the range of Sprocket's audio receptors. She had hoped the Cogs would manage to slow her prey, but some things had to be dealt with personally.

*Look out! To you left!*

Aisha looked a moment too late as a figure in green leapt at her. Her ninja training took over and she rolled through depositing her opponent on his or her back. Quickly she got back to her feet looking for some way to escape her attacker.

"You won't get away from me that quickly Ranger," the green figure said. "I am Guri, master of my art."

Although her eyes were fixed on the blaster carbine trained on her chest, Aisha's mind was searching for the quick escape or any alternative to combat.

"Surrender to the power of King Mondo, now!" Guri demanded.

Aisha quickly weighed up her chances of being able to attack before Guri could fire. She decided there was no chance of doing so especially if she also wanted a chance to get away. There seemed to be no way out, Mondo had won. ~Who the hell is Mondo?~

*Morph!*

The command was so compelling that she had to obey even though she knew that her Power Coin had been destroyed and her powers had been passed to Tanya along with the Zeo Crystal. But maybe they hadn't been, after all the Sword of Light had not been used and her morpher had not changed hands. ~And didn't Zordon say our powers were joined to our bodies?~ Her morpher was in her hand before she realised it.

Yellow light exploded around her for a brief second before it was replaced by purple. Aisha found herself wearing a Ninja costume, which while purple to begin with soon faded to match the background. Aisha sighed, somehow she knew she should have seen this coming.

"No!" Guri shouted. "You shall not escape me, Yellow Ranger. Mondo has ordered that you will not be allowed to aid your former teammates."

Guri opened fire and Aisha stopped dead in her tracks. A sudden fear washed over her. If she ran back towards her village, she would endanger her parents and friends. That was something she could not allow.

"I'm not the Yellow Ranger," she announced. "I'm the Purple Ranger." ~Since when has there been a Purple Ranger?~

Running into the undergrowth she looked for anywhere she could hide. Whoever Mondo was, he had sent Guri to prevent her interference. That he anticipated her involvement and the fact the Rangers had not shown up meant they were in trouble of some sort. She intended to lay low and hope she could work out some type of trap. ~Of course if she doesn't see me she can still find me in other ways,~ she thought. ~I need an advantage.~

She pushed her way deeper into the thick bushes all the time aware of Guri stalking not far behind and that she was starting to catch up.

*Study your enemy*

The words made sense and she recognised that it had been the Power that had been talking to her the whole time. But the powers she had held previously had never offered strategic advice. The instructions had always been empathic and nowhere near as blatant. Perhaps the change of colour had awakened something she had missed before. Still the advice was sound and Aisha found herself doing just that.

She could see her opponent moving toward her and noticed for the first time Guri's reliance on a device strapped to her wrist. As Aisha watched Guri punched in the combination three-five-nine and floated into the air. Obviously Mondo had used that device so Guri could control her functions.

~I've got to get undercover quickly,~ Aisha thought, well aware that Guri would spot her from the air.

Lightning bolts crackled from Guri's gauntlets and struck the ground as Guri attempted to shock her out of hiding. Aisha crouched as low to the ground as she could, hoping there was a way to distract her opponent. She looked around and noticed the leaves of a nearby bush or more importantly the berries.

~These berries react with acid,~ she thought, remembering the lessons Billy had given her and what the tribe had said. She had at one point wondered if the combination of acid rain and the berries were poisoning the animals, but she decided against it when she noted the berries were not poisonous. ~Still, that reaction could buy me some time.~

She ripped a strip from her costume and was pleased to see the area grow back. Obviously whatever these powers were, they retained some of the properties of her Ninja Ranger powers. She took the torn strip and gathered as many berries as possible she bundled them together. Next she found the equipment she had dropped while morphing and opened her water bottle, then poured its contents into the bundle. Before doing so she opened her lunch satchel and carefully removed the sour lemon she had bought along. The plan was simple, draw Guri over, make her shoot at the small package Aisha had prepared and hope the water in her top combined with the lemon would make an acidic reaction.

Standing up she looked for Guri, ducking again as a blaster bolt grace her left leg. Playing on the injury, she cried out, hoping Guri would come to investigate. Guri did and as soon as she was within range Aisha threw her package. Guri fired and paid the price. As the top disintegrated a fiery red mist exploded into her face, burning the exposed skin and blinding her scanners.

Aisha saw her chance not only to escape but maybe to remove Guri's advantage. Pushing her to the ground Aisha struggled and eventually succeeded in ripping the bracelet off Guri's arm. Guri responded by opening fire again. Aisha threw the bracelet into the air and watched it explode. She watched as the mist continued to eat away at the synthetic flesh until only metal remained.

The robot seemed to recover and grabbed at Aisha's neck. The teen fought back, but her powers seemed ineffective as steel hands closed around her throat. Then a tingling sensation filled her body as she was teleported away, leaving Guri groping at the ground.

* * *

"Very good Miss Hart, but remember to extend your arms. And smile, big smile!" the coach called.

Kimberly struggled to smile as she resumed her exercise.

"Excuse me, I was wondering if you could advise me of the whereabouts of Kimberly Hart."

"Billy?" Kimberly cried, noticing her friend.

The former Blue Ranger smiled at her as she ran into his arms.

"Well, Miss Hart," the coach chuckled. "I think your training had better be put on hold for today. You will make it up tomorrow."

Kimberly giggled as she went back to hugging her friend.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"We came to get you," Billy told her.

"We?" she asked, noticing the two friends he had with him. Jason she recognised immediately, but the other looked just like... "Tommy?"

"Kind of," Sam answered.

"Hey Kim," Jason greeted his friend and stooping to give her a hug.

"Okay, not that I didn't want to see you guys, but this isn't a social call, is it?"

"Affirmative," Billy told her. His voice dropped to a whisper. "How would you like to be a Ranger again?" The giggle of delight gave them their answer. Billy frowned. "I was afraid you would say that."

"Billy, what's wrong?" Kim asked, suddenly nervous.

"You should have said no, Pink Ranger," the one who looked like Tommy said. "It would have made this so much easier."

Kimberly backed up, around her the other students were watching as Jason reached up and ripped off his face.

"Surprise!" Rito cried. "Bet ya never thought you'd see me again right."

"What do you want Rito?" Kimberly asked as Rito's companions revealed themselves as Tengas.

"What do I want, right... I know this one... now what was it?... Oh yeah, Rita and Ed told me to kidnap you. Gee I knew I'd get it."

At the sight of Rito the others had exited the gym, leaving Kimberly alone.

"Get her," he told his companions and the two Tengas attacked.

"Pterodactyl!"

How her morpher had gotten into her hand Kimberly would never know, but she had soon transformed into a slightly familiar costume. The two birds were easily defeated, but then she felt herself facing Rito's sword.

Instead of panicking though Kimberly closed her eyes and remembered the sensation of teleporting. In a column of pink she was gone.

* * *

Power Chamber

"They're on their way Zordon," Alpha reported.

"Excellent Alpha," Zordon boomed.

Zordon allowed himself a smile as he thought what this union would mean. This crisis could be one of the best things to happen to the Rangers.

"Call Jason, Billy and Sam, they should be here when their friends arrive."

"We're here Zordon, what happened?" Jason asked as he appeared with Sam and Billy not far behind.

A moment later there was a pink flash and a familiar cry.

"Jason, Billy? Is it really you guys this time?" Kimberly asked, still suspicious after her run in with Rito. Noticing, Alpha helped to convince her it was not a hoax.

"Kimberly!" Billy cried, happy to see his former teammate. The three Rangers embraced before Billy noted a black and yellow flash. His mouth dropped open. "Trini?"

"Zack!" Jason called excitedly as the Power Chamber became the scene of another reunion.

A purple flash signalled Aisha's arrival and Billy greeted her as David Trueheart rounded off the arrivals.

"Now we are all here, we can begin," Zordon said.

A chair appeared next to each person for him or her to use, suggesting that this might be a long conversation. Alpha Five was scurrying around on the other side of the Power Chamber, apparently trying to talk to someone.

"I am sorry my young friends that I have had to call you here without notice. Perhaps those who are unknown to the majority of you should identify themselves." Sam and David introduced themselves. Even though some of the others were not familiar with each other as they had been during their times as Rangers, they knew each other's name. "First, welcome back Rangers to Power Mountain. And welcome to you, David Trueheart. I am glad to meet you in person after so long. While I am afraid there is little time to explain why we have called you all here, I can tell you that the Rangers need your help before a dangerous situation becomes worse."

"We're ready to help Zordon," Jason said after the teens exchanged glances. Their trust in Zordon never faltered, even David, who had never met the

White Master before.

"Yesterday night, Kat dreamt that a destructive force known as the Elemental Beasts would be unleashed upon the Earth unless the Rangers could destroy them before they hyperlock units were ready to open."

"And you want us to deal with those egg things," Zack interjected.

"You are correct Zachary," Zordon boomed. "Jason, Billy and Sam have been given the means to penetrate the shells, but with the extra protection Rita and company have provided, it will take all eight of you to penetrate each site."

"We have our powers, don't we?" Kimberly asked.

Zordon laughed. "I would never send you out there without some protection Kimberly. I am afraid it is not as much as I would like. Each of you by now has experienced the residual power from your links to the Morphin Grid. These links have been intensified with the use of a Power Coin that Billy obtained on Aquitar and Sam's own Power Coin. You each share an equal portion of the energies within those coins. While you are without a Power Coin, I am afraid that is the full extent of your capabilities, these powers will provide you some protection; David, although you have never been a Ranger, your link to Tommy will allow you to tap the Grid without the use of a Power Coin."

"I thought we needed a coin to be a Ranger," Kimberly commented.

Zordon sighed; there was obviously a lot he would need to teach his Rangers in the future, especially if they succeeded in completing his plan.

"You are partially correct Kimberly," Zordon said. "The links you have to the Power require a Power Coin to regulate the dangerous energies you wield. Without a Power Coin the energies would eventually consume you. That is why when Trini and the others morphed recently their uniforms changed. You have become Grid Warriors, partially powered Rangers. When your current mission is complete, a more permanent solution will be found."

"The Ranger Powers you are used to have been drawn by Power Coins and the Zeo Crystal. However, only those who have held the powers of the Morphin Grid would be accepted as Rangers on another world. As White

Master I had the right to name the Zeo holders as Rangers, a role they have fulfilled with honour, courage and great skill."

"So what exactly is the Morphin Grid?" Jason asked. Of all the Rangers, only Billy had ever done any real research on their powers.

"The Morphin Grid is a source of energy created from some of the magical energy which seeped into our universe when it was first formed. The power of the Morphin Grid is one of a number of concentrations of magic that somehow divided itself. On some worlds all the people can use magic, on others such as Earth, many members of the population are unable to touch the magic naturally. Instead, the planet is rich in Psychic energy with a few hot spots where people can use non-grid magic."

"I thought the Grid was magic," Trini commented.

"As I said, the Morphin Grid is only a portion of all the magic in the Universe. Every planet, even Earth has its own small amount of magic, but due to the vast quantities of Iron on this world, few humans have enough potential to safely utilise such magic. Those I chose as Rangers were fortunate that they each had a small amount of potential that left them open to the magic of the Grid even though they were immune to the power of their planet." Zordon explained. "I'm certain you realise that Earth is surrounded by lines of natural magic. In places they congregate to form nexus points. Angel Grove is situated on one such Ley Nexus where the magic spread throughout the Universe can manifest. There is a second network of Ley Lines that would allow those with potential to learn the ways of natural magic. I know of only a few places where people are open enough for such power to be seen."

"So wizards and witches are not powered by the Grid," Zack realised.

"That is correct in the case of this planet," Zordon said. "Although for on other worlds witches have learnt to tap the Morphin Grid."

"That is why Rita would never attack an Earth Wizard," Alpha said. "Compared to her powers they are unworthy of the attention."

"When I first picked my Rangers I had a number of requirements," Zordon continued. "Firstly they had to be willing to accept the rules of the Power. There were others on Earth who would have been able to hold the Power, but might have abused the Power. Secondly, they needed to be able to form and act as a team. When I first ordered Alpha to find you, the computer searched for a group of friends. Finally, I required teenagers who had the potential to touch the Grid."

Aisha took the opportunity to ask the question she had been wondering about since the day that she had first become a Ranger. "Zordon, why did you choose teenagers to be Rangers?"

Zordon smiled. He knew the other Rangers had often discussed the issue, but none of them had yet come to the right conclusion. "The first reason is because as I said I needed humans with the potential to touch the Power whose minds were not closed to the possibilities of doing so. In addition it was important that those I selected were old enough to understand the responsibility the role of Ranger entailed. By selecting teenagers I not only fulfilled both of those requirements, but also found a group whose lives would be able to help when needed and not get stuck in other activities."

"To go back to my original point," Zordon said. "The power of the Morphin Grid is divided into light and darkness, just as most magic is polarised to either good or evil. The Light and Dark sides of the Grid are equal and opposite of each other. It is possible for someone with the ability to touch one side of the Grid to also touch the other; to wield the Light just as easily as they do the Darkness. It is the intention of those using the energy that determines where the power comes from."

"So when Tommy was under Rita's spell he drew energy from the Dark side?" Jason asked.

"No," Zordon replied. "Although Rita's spell made him evil, he was still using the Light sided powers through his Power Coin. If he had been truly evil, the Ranger Powers would have left him. Only the Light can create Rangers, the Dark side relies instead on creating outer forms for its users. That is why Lord Zedd looks the way he does."

Zordon noticed that the Rangers were hooked on his every word, but also realised he needed to get to the point if his plan was to succeed before it was too late. "You are all aware that in the past the Rangers have used the Dino, Thunder and Ninja powers. What you may not have known is that these are different versions of the same power, each representing a different aspect of the Power, just as the colour represents the personality of the Ranger."

"Jason and Rocky were suited to the Red colour. Although many assume that red is the colour of the leader, it is mainly the colour that represents a team player. The Red spirits are the Tyrannosaurus, Dragon and Ape. Jason is the Tyrannosaurus, a powerful leader who is able to work with his team. He also tends to tackle his opponents head on Rocky however is a Dragon. As such he was the center, around which the team is formed. Rocky preferred to think things out before attacking."

"Billy was drawn to the Blue colour. Blue represents a creative and powerful mind, not just in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of mental powers. Blue spirits also have a desire to belong although sometimes have difficulty relating to others. The Triceratops, Unicorn and Wolf represent the Blue Powers. Billy is the Wolf aspect of the Blue Power. He prefers to study his enemies and determine their weaknesses before charging in."

"Trini was suited to the Yellow Power. She could have managed either the Sabre-toothed Tiger, Griffin or Bear. As the Yellow Ranger she was the peacemaker, looking out for the weaker members of the team. However like Billy, she prefers to study her problems first and would have been at her best if linked to the Bear."

"Zack and Adam are both natural users of the Black Powers. Both possess a joyful spirit and seek to lighten their team's mood in battle. For Zack this is due to his own personality, but Adam does so because of his shy nature. The Mastodon, Lion and Frog represent the Black Power. Zack is the Lion, a playful and slightly wild spirit, whilst Adam is the more reserved Frog."

"Both Kimberly and Kat were Pink Spirits, the colour of a nursing spirit that is protective of all those around and pure of mind and body. The Pterodactyl, Firebird and Crane all represent the Pink Power. Whilst Kimberly is more likely to think and then act, Kat will study her opponents in the same was as Billy and Trini. That is why Kim excelled as the Firebird and Kat was able to slip into her role as the Crane."

"The White Ranger represents the healer," Zordon explained. "Although Tommy has held the White power, he did so only to access the powers of a Ranger. The White Rangers normally possess a pure spirit and are immune to spells. In addition they can heal their fellow Rangers and possess certain extra mental abilities. The White Powers are represented by the Raptor, Tiger and Falcon."

"Sam and Tommy are both Green Spirits. The Green Power is at the opposite end of the Light side," Zordon explained "Those with a Green Spirit constantly feel the pull of both sides of the Morphin Grid. That is why both Tommy and Sam were able to be place under Rita's spell. The Dragon, Minotaur and Panther represent the Green Power. Sam is Dragon, whereas Tommy is closer to the Light and is therefore the Panther."

Strangely enough Zordon remembered that in the ancient tales of the Power, the Basilisk had been the spirit that represented the Green power. The legends spoke of a battle between the Basilisk and the Minotaur. Eventually the Basilisk had slithered aside on the understanding that those the Minotaur though the Minotaur would represent the majority who held the Green powers at that level, there would always be a few best suited to the Basilisk. Then again the Pink power had at one time been represented by the Fairy and another spirit had once represent the Yellow power. Of course when the Masters had formalised things such nuances of the Power had been forgotten.

"Finally, there is the Purple Spirit. Purple is the colour of unity. Those with the Purple Powers are able to combine the various attributes of the other Rangers and are usually peaceful. They are also skilled warriors. Aisha is a Purple Spirit. The Stegosaurus, Spider and Hawk represent the purple powers."

Zordon looked at his two young students. He knew his lecture had raised many questions in their minds and he intended to answer them.

"I know you have some questions, so allow me to explain. There is a ninth colour, but it is only a legend. It is hidden deep within the Morphin Grid and has never been revealed. I know you will wonder why if there were nine colours there were only ever six Rangers at a time. As I have already mentioned, one of the colours is unknown, but the others are simply related to not having the coins. The Purple Coin was lost, the White Coin was mine to create and I did so only to allow Tommy to become a Ranger again. With the Green Coin in the hands of Rita and then sabotaged, I never got to create a Green Ranger."

~Now for the difficult bit,~ Zordon thought.

Jason had listened to everything Zordon had said. He had asked question when he felt they were necessary and now understood the inside workings of the Ranger Powers. Now he needed to know what Zordon really wanted. "Zordon, why are you telling us this?"

"Although the Grid Warrior transformation is the limit at the moment, there is no reason why you will not be able to exceed that level at a later date. First though, you must be a team," Zordon said. "Jason, Kimberly, Zack, Trini and Billy, you have proven yourselves in the past to be worthy to be Power Rangers; I ask you to resume those roles with immediate effect. Sam, you are already the Green Ranger. I ask you allow us to aid you in restoring your powers to where they should be." He turned to the newcomer to the group. "David, you are as worthy as Tommy to hold the powers of a Ranger. I realise you never wanted to be a Ranger, but ask you use your skills and potential to help us."

David looked at Zordon. Finally, he nodded.

"Thank you, Rangers. Observe the Viewing Globe." The image appeared, showing the eggs Kat had discovered. "These eggs are hyperlock containment units and are currently used to store the Elemental Beasts and must be destroyed. Unfortunately the Zeo Rangers are needed to protect the planet from other threats that will no-doubt distract them and the urgency of the matter means we cannot wait. The eight of you will need to work together to destroy them. Go and may the Power protect you."

"Let's go and find you some equipment," Jason offered as they walked off.

To Zordon this was a signal that things were about to change. The Power Rangers were a step closer to reaching their full potential. Now he just hoped that both teams would be able to complete their missions before time ran out. While he wanted to lie to his Rangers, he had not been entirely honest on a number of points. Most importantly was that despite what researcher had discovered, he felt with all of his being that the Morphin Grid was greater than a mere pool of energy, it was a universal energy force that permeated all existence. Furthermore he believed that all the powers the Rangers had used, be they Morphin, Zeo or Gem Coin, had come from this universal Morphin Grid. And while the colours and animals he had quoted had been correct, there was no reason not to have a Yellow Pterodactyl or a Red Lion. Anything was possible where the Power was concerned.

What Zordon had failed to notice was that during the last few hours, Billy had been moving from one position to the next, manufacturing strange devices and then teleporting between sections of Power Mountain.

* * *

Triforia

It had taken weeks for Trey to recover from the injuries he had suffered and then search for Travis. It had then been a matter of waiting while the healing capsule had done its job; the loss of his family was a wound that would take far longer to heal. He knew the damage Terr had done, had been there every step of the way as his world had suffered.

By the time he had arrived, the threat was over and now the people of Triforia would need to set their affairs in order. The cannon would have to be investigated and all planets checked to ensure there were no other surprises hidden there. They would also need to change the laws to allow Trent to rule Triforia in his place.

The queen and his sisters had greeted him tearfully and taken him to his father's grave. It was with a heavy heart he realised that now he was technically the king. He wanted to stay and help his people, but Trey had responsibilities elsewhere. When communications with the rest of the Universe had been established, he had learnt of the new attack on Earth and the loss of their Zords. He needed to get back to help them before it was too late. Still, as he looked at his once beautiful kingdom and thought of how they would make it great once more, at least he was home.

**To be Continued **


	14. Race Against Time

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Race Against Time

Earth

The Beast Master had returned to wreck havoc on the Earth. It was his right, one granted to him the day his eyes had seen the smoke-filled skies and had breathed the sulphur rich air. Earth had been a pleasant place to exist back in those times. He had once been overwhelmed and imprisoned in the Earth; his creations reduced to their embryo stage again. And now he was free once more, he would continue with his goal.

He wasn't foolish, far from it although his aggressive nature had a tendency to overcome his intelligence. He knew that his freedom was not due to a conscious wish for him to be free. It had been a necessity for Minion to revive him to tend the Elemental Beasts and ensure they reached maturity. As he looked into the sky he could sense the planet's energy beneath him; the planet had grown powerful during his forced hibernation.

He felt the emotions within the containment units, the natural aggression that made them creatures of destruction. His task was as far as he could tell, very simple. He was to cause as much mayhem on Earth as possible while preventing the planet's defenders from finding them before they had finished reviving. The destruction he planned to spread would be more than enough to distract them.

He sensed the Rangers before they arrived and was ready to blast them the moment they finished teleporting. He had already retrieved the eggs and transported them to a safer location. Now that had received exposure to the climate they required to reach maturity they had been teleported to new nests away from him. Currently he was in Stone Canyon, former home to some of the Rangers and deliberately chosen as a personal swipe at his foes. He had even gone so far as to transform the landscape to suit his needs.

Beast Master knew very little about Rangers, but he had seen enough heroes during his time to predict their actions. In fact he had triumphed over countless teams of heroes regardless of their powers. He had crushed armies and destroyed space navies. If he were to confront Rangers even after his long sleep he knew he would crush, wear out and utterly confuse his foes. So he was confident that regardless of whatever powers the Rangers possessed, they would not get past him. After all, how could he possibly fail?

* * *

They were not off to a good start as far as Tommy was concerned. They had been blasted as soon as they had arrived in Stone Canyon. A curtain of magical energy had ensnared them, seriously hindering their progress. Katherine had been the first to recover, the memories of her recent nightmares driving her to destroy the Beast Master and then find the containment vessels before their contents could be released. Rocky followed swiftly, the Blue Gem Coin Ranger recognising the urgency in his comrade's actions. Adam and Tanya didn't rush off immediately, taking their time to ensure that the trap had been disarmed in case help followed later. Tommy allowed himself a smile; the five of them were working as a team despite the lack of the link they normally felt as Zeo Rangers. Constant attacks had rekindled the unity they had felt during their days of fighting Mondo's forces.

"Gem Coin Cycle!" Kat called.

The motorcycles the Rangers had used following the loss of the Zeo Crystal had now been incorporated into their Gem Coin arsenal. Upgraded using the designs intended for Zeo technology and powered through their partial links to the Morphin Grid, the bikes took on the characteristics of the Shark Cycles while retaining the additional abilities Billy had given them.

The other Rangers were in hot pursuit, opening their throttles to catch up to their pink teammate as they cautiously guided their machines down the road to Stone Canyon. They were not expecting an ambush, but they had just been blasted following their teleport and they were aware that the Gem Coin powers did not offer the protection that the Zeo Rangers had enjoyed.

~If only we could get the Zeo Crystal back,~ Tommy thought as he moved forward to spearhead the Rangers' charge into battle. The Gem Coin powers were terribly unstable given that they were dependant upon the remnants of the Zeo power that Zordon had been able to isolate and a mixture of power sources from the Morphin Grid.

He flicked a switch on his handlebars as they approached the area where they had traced the demon. His speed dropped as the powerful engine of his machine switched to quiet running. Up ahead he could almost sense something blocking their path. He slowed and waited for the others to catch up, while trying to get a good view of whatever it was that blocking their way.

"Rocko?" he asked.

"Power Scan, running," Rocky replied.

Before they had been dispatched for this task, and since their powers were partially Grid based, Alpha and Zordon had managed to install some of the helmet functions they had planned to give the Ninja Rangers. In Rocky's case that was a set of sensors built into the helmet that allowed him to detect energy waves and enhance his audio and visual capabilities. At the moment his sensors remained blank due to what he assumed was interference, but when he saw what his visual sensors revealed, he had to do a double take.

"Oh no," he whispered.

He quickly transferred the image to the other Rangers, which received a gasp from Adam. They had grown up in Stone Canyon before moving to Angel Grove. The sight that greeted them did not bode well for their former home.

When Minion's WD Units had swarmed through North Valley, large portions of the population had been turned over to one of his allies as a reward. The Beast Master had discovered the few survivors and transformed them into his own army.

In his hand he held the small, almost invisible larvae of a Cerebral Fly. The creatures were not truly evil, but their actions had led to several attempts to exterminate them. In truth these larvae would never develop fully, if they managed to defeat the Rangers, the Beast Master would destroy them himself. However, during their development the larvae could control a host creature and use it as a body. That is what he had in mind.

He placed one creature on the head of each human and watched as they found their way into either the tear duct, nose, ear canal or oral cavity. From there they started to secrete enzymes to alter the subject's body and at that point, Beast Master intervened and took control of the victims himself, turning them into monsters.

Rocky could tell from what was left of their faces that they were or had once been human. Their bodies had undergone some sort of forced mutation, the bones pushed through the skin in some places to protrude as sharp spikes. Some kind of thick fungus covered the upper body, forming what he could only assume was armour; the face was covered with a similar growth although the eyes were shielded by a thin membrane.

"Zordon, how do we fight these things?" Tommy asked.

In the past, at least part of the Rangers' fighting ability had come from their link to the Power. In the recent past the Rangers had relied on the strategic input of Zordon, Jason and now Billy to help them.

"I recommend a forward battery without considering the sentimental implications," Billy answered.

He was right, if they were to free the people they needed to get to the one who had enslaved them first. They would not try to kill them, but they would have to be forceful.

"Rangers, you need to hurry," Zordon added. "The longer the Beast Master remains in control of their minds, the stronger their control will become."

Spurred on by their mentor's words and the sight of several Putties that Rita had decided to send down as yet another attempt to capitalise on Minion's scheme, the Rangers rode into battle. Tommy twisted his handlebars, causing the bike to slide into his opponents as the Rangers ditched their vehicles and attacked.

Tommy smiled as he leapt into the throng of Putties, smiling as they tried to circle him, as if that would give them a chance. That was one thing about Rita's old foot soldiers he could rely on, they were dumb. Unable to enjoy the thrill of battle, Tommy tore into the opponents with his weapon. The sabre he held performed admirably although he missed the Zeo V Power Sword, and the Putties had soon been reduced to dust. He didn't have time to rest though and ran towards the nest where the Beast Master was waiting.

Kat, Tanya, Adam and Rocky were forced to face eight of the Beast Master's sinister creations. At first they tried hand-to-hand combat, but when they discovered how strong the creatures were they were forced to use their weapons. Zordon had allowed them limited access to the Power Weapons they had used during their time as Dino Rangers. When the Rangers had linked the Gem Coins to the Morphin Grid, Zordon had been able to retrieve the weapons. In addition each carried one of the small hand-held blasters they had dubbed Gem Coin Blasters. Even so they were in for a shock when they tried to knock the creatures out of their path. They still had no idea how to fight them and so far their weapons seemed ineffective against the organic armour.

Rocky swiftly discovered that the creatures had a sting of their own in the form of a snakelike animal mounted on their arms. His sword moved just in time to block the snake, but failed to slice through the weapon, which was almost as impervious as the creature was. He was briefly aware of a second creature moving in from behind and instinctively shifted position. He tried to spin kick one of his attackers, but the creature caught his foot while the other nailed him with a large fist. Hanging upside down he tried desperately to think of a way out.

Kat had tried using her bow, but the arrows just bounced harmlessly off the armour. However, her attempts to smash the creatures over the head with her bow had at least slowed them. She had been trying to keep both of her opponents in front of her, but when she felt a sharp jolt in the back of her neck she knew she had failed.

Adam had noticed when they arrived just how battered the street had become, but he was also the only Ranger who noticed the possibilities. So it was that he led two of the creatures on a chase through the cracked concrete, burning cars, fallen street lamps and damaged furniture. His eyes were constantly moving as he scanned the area for anything he could use. His strategy seemed to pay off as he used a heat cartridge in his Gem Coin Blaster to melt the asphalt sidewalk, transforming it into large-scale flypaper. He was aware of the other creature moving in, but was concentrating on taking out his first target before it could strike. He summoned his axe and converted it to cannon mode. His shot ripped under the street, punctured a gas line and blew the trapped creature away. Then he turned to face the second creature.

Tanya's daggers had found a weakness, a spot of fleshy skin under the armpit. She had discovered the weakness by accident when she had been jabbing at various spots. When she tore the daggers free, the armour surrounding the chest was also wrenched open. A strong kick to the exposed flesh put the creature down and she turned to face its partner.

Rocky struggled to keep hold of the sword and after managing to grab it with both hands, drove it into his assailant's foot. The creature obviously felt the pain since it immediately released the hold and Rocky was able to roll away. It did not make a sound though and after the sword had been removed it joined its partner in attacking him.

With Tanya's discovery in mind the Rangers aimed for any body part or limb that was not clearly armoured. The creatures' snake weapons still posed a threat though and Rocky spent his time pinned down by their assault. With an up-front assault failing he followed Adam's example and ran.

The two creatures sensed fear and the possibility of an easy kill. They followed Rocky without thought, not even stopping when he reached one of the burning cars and started fiddling with the aerial. The already injured creature charged forward as the Ranger loosened the clip and the spring load aerial extended through the creature's throat.

Adam was having problems with his second opponent because unlike Rita and Zedd's monsters, it lacked a set pattern of attack. It had seen how he had damaged another of its number and had chosen a more direct approach. That in turn had put Adam on the defensive, and since the axe was cumbersome at close range, he was at the disadvantage. He barely managed to shift his weight as the creature lunged for him, its fanged weapon sweeping towards his neck. There was a flash of silver as something chopped the snake's head off. He looked over to where Rocky was once again battling, having taken the time to throw a hubcap at the snake.

* * *

The Moon

Lord Zedd was furious as he tried to keep track of the events on Earth and elsewhere. The problem as far as he could tell, was that the so-called threat had too many factors in operation and lacked guidance for those individual pieces to work together to see things through successfully. From his observations Zedd could tell that the Beast Master was an excellent general and had shown true potential by creating those creatures. But he was not taking advantage of their superiority over the Rangers, and had chosen to wait for them to show up.

Zedd had been jealous of course that Minion, a simple monster at best, was powerful enough to ignore the orders of the mighty Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, both of whom had in their time amassed vast empires. In short Minion had become too powerful.

* * *

Tommy gripped his sword tightly, relishing the familiar feeling that flowed through him once more. He missed his days as the White Ranger, the symbol of all that was good and of course the perfect warrior to face Lord Zedd and later his wife Rita. But those days were gone and instead of representing the purity of the power, Tommy had been forced to wear the blood red of a field commander. Although this sword was not Saba, it was shaped the same and felt the same in his hand.

The Beast Master crouched and then launched himself at the Ranger as their battle continued. Tommy parried and dodged the blows; eventually landing a sharp kick that made the demon back away from him. Beast Master shook his head and pulled himself to his feet, reaching his imposing height as he loomed over the Red Ranger. Tendrils of lightning left the villain's hand and poured over the unfortunate Ranger, causing pain he had not felt since the time he had gone to retrieve the Zeo Crystal. More bolts of energy, this time magic forced the younger fighter off his feet, his face a mask of agony.

Tommy rolled out of the way of one bolt and jumped in the air, his sabre aimed straight at Beast Master's head. The red-faced villain intercepted the blow, catching the blade on his open palm. For a moment they remained in that position until gravity kicked in and Tommy fell painfully onto his butt. Not for the first time Tommy wondered what he had gotten himself into, Beast Master's height and power were things the Red Zeo Ranger could not match.

* * *

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Tommy!" Alpha cried. He had been watching the Rangers on the Viewing Globe with Zordon.

Zordon looked at the data constantly, trying to find some error in the reports. According to the sensors Beast Master was far more powerful than the average monster and almost approached Zedd in terms of raw energy. He had encountered a similar sort of creature before, a near demon by the name of Ivan Ooze. It made him shudder to think how powerful the forces were that had trapped him in the first place. Or worse still how great the force must have been to release him again.

"It is as I feared," Zordon said. "Beast Master is a powerful morphological being, almost a demon in his own right."

"The Rangers are pinned down and Tommy cannot get passed Beast Master. What do we do Zordon?"

"You must have faith Alpha," Zordon said as he watched Kat destroy her second opponent and rush to help Tanya, "The Rangers are the world's only hope. While they battle Beast Master and his forces we must hope that Jason and the others can destroy the capsules. I suggest you prepare the Zords for deployment, just in case."

Alpha sighed in agreement, leaving to work on the controls while Zordon looked on. Tanya had already destroyed her opponent by the time Kat arrived. Adam and Rocky had drawn their opponents together and had advanced from both sides with their small blades. The weapons pierced the weak points that Tanya had discovered and the last of the creatures collapsed to the ground.

"Hurry Rangers," Alpha found himself saying as he saw them run to where the Beast Master and Tommy were fighting.

There was a bright flash that clouded the Viewing Globe. When the image cleared the Rangers had stopped moving; Tommy and Beast Master had vanished from view.

* * *

Tommy looked down at himself and was relieved to find he was still morphed. He knew that sometimes moving to an alternate dimension had the effect of cancelling out Ranger powers. Especially given the severe pain he had felt just moments before Beast Master had transported them. With the swift check of his body parts out of the way he took a moment to observe his surroundings. It seemed he was in some kind of cave, sealed from all sides. Stalactites and stalagmites decorated the large abode while light from an unknown source brightly lit the area. There was a fog covering the rocky floor.

Over by the far wall Beast Master stood waiting, a crystal ball in his hand that seemed to capture his attention more than the Ranger opposite.

Beast Master smiled wickedly. "Welcome to my private dimension, Red Ranger. Minion was most gracious to allow me to bring you here. Make yourself at home, for you will soon become a permanent fixture."

Tommy responded with a small laugh. "You're wrong. My friends will get me out of here, but hopefully not before I finish kicking your sorry butt."

Beast Master chuckled coldly, his yellow eyes staring deep into Tommy's soul. "I would very much like to see you do that, Ranger, but I fear you are terribly mistaken. You will die a slow and painful death. And as for your friends, I have already captured them. When I finish you, they will also fall before me."

"You will not win Beast Master, good will prevail!" Tommy shouted.

"Oh please," Beast Master chuckled. "You are spouting empty rhetoric. Good might one day prevail, but you will be gone a long time before it happens."

"We'll see about that," Tommy cried, summoning his sword and charging his opponent.

Beast Master raised an eyebrow as the Ranger approached and calmly batted the sword aside. He laughed as Tommy tried repeatedly to strike him, successfully blocking each blow and then sweeping the Red Ranger's feet out from under him.

"I was warned long ago not to take my opponent's abilities lightly Tommy, but from what I've seen I'm surprised you've lasted so long." He chuckled again. "I will give you a chance, Tommy. Hundreds of years trapped in the torment of eternal sleep without entertainment means that even fighting you could prove slightly entertaining."

His foot connected with Tommy's stomach, sending the teen sprawling. But the Red Ranger was still a force to be reckoned with. Taking a running leap, he smashed both feet into Beast Master's chest. The demon flew backwards to the ground. He responded by jabbing at Tommy with his right fist. The Red Ranger somersaulted backwards, keeping his distance. Beast Master had not had a fight in over nine hundred years, yet he moved with the agility of a well-trained fighter.

They traded blow for blow, neither one scoring any damaging blows. It seemed to be a stalemate. But not for long, Tommy knew Beast Master was trying to tire him out. He was only human and from what he could tell the demon was holding back. And of course, at over eight feet tall Beast Master had a greater reach.

~The question,~ Tommy thought to himself as he swiftly ducked a boot to the head, ~is can I last long enough to escape?~

Tommy powered up for a punch, but Beast Master surprised him by grabbing his wrist and snapping it. The Red Ranger cried out in pain as Beast Master threw him to the ground, but the leader of the Rangers staggered to his feet.

"You're a persistent child, aren't you?" Beast Master asked, launching himself at Tommy again. Tommy swept the floor with his foot, but Beast Master somersaulted over the extended limb and slammed a foot into Tommy's helmet, piercing the faceplate and almost breaking the boy's nose. Bleeding and sore, Tommy backed up against the stone wall. Beast Master wasn't even sweating. Once again Tommy realised the demon was simply playing with him.

The villain back flipped away as Tommy tried to rise. The Red Ranger struggled to his feet yet again.

Beast Master appeared to be in deep thought. He dropped his fighting stance. "You know, Tommy... I never noticed in all the time I spent watching this pitiful planet how much punishment you can take. Amazing. Your predecessor would have fallen by now. Perhaps you are stronger than I thought, or perhaps Jason was just smarter."

Tommy's bloodshot eyes were locked onto Beast Master's as he leaned on a rock and continued to talk. "I've been thinking. It's no big secret why Rita chose you to be her Green Ranger. You're a warrior, plain and simple. A human war machine; I find it... most interesting."

"G - get to the point, Beast Master." Tommy said in between gasps of air.

"Join me," the demon offered.

"You've GOT to be kidding." Tommy laughed. "Me, join you, and destroy my own world? Never!"

Beast Master laughed. "I'll make you a deal. I'll share my powers with you; together we can destroy the Elemental Beasts. You can save your world, your life and your friends, but you must join me!"

Tommy dropped his fighting stance hesitantly.

"With my brains and your brawn, Oliver, we'll be unstoppable! Join me!"

His words were starting to have an effect. Tommy was seriously questioning himself. A bit longer and maybe Beast Master would be able to present Minion with a new servant.

Tommy shook his head. "No. Villains don't keep their words, and I have no reason to trust you. I will never join you, Beast Master. Not now, not in a thousand years. You'd destroy the Earth anyway."

Beast Master growled. The cave began to shake, and rocks began tumbling down. "You have made a very big mistake, Tommy." And with that he raised his hand. A ball of energy pulsed once, and then swallowed Beast Master into a vortex of energy, which sealed up immediately afterward.

Suddenly the cave shook. Tommy steadied himself as the quake stopped. Then it happened again... and again. As Tommy's eyes widened in horror, he saw the walls move in ever so slightly. He saw what Beast Master had planned: the cavern walls were closing in! The cave was shrinking... and he was going to be impaled by the sharp rocks!

Tommy fell to the floor as the cave shook violently. He rolled to the side as a wickedly sharp stone fell from the ceiling, slashing his arm. He was grateful it was just nicked and not cut off. Still, the sting of pain was terrible. Dark red blood spurted from the wound as the cave contracted again, bringing the walls even closer. Tommy was about to be crushed.

"Aw man, I need a way out of here!" he said out loud.

* * *

When Beast Master reappeared in Stone Canyon, the spell on the remaining Rangers was broken. They looked around, confused by what had happened until they noticed Beast Master.

"Where's Tommy?" Rocky demanded.

Beast Master just laughed. "Your friend is suffering the side effects of a crushing defeat. I wouldn't worry about him, you'll be joining him soon enough."

Adam cried out in pain as the demon slammed a fist into his chest. Beast Master had moved so quickly that the unfortunate Ranger had been unable to follow him. He clawed at the red skinned monster that was grabbing his throat with both of its powerful hands. He lifted the Green Ranger up into the air and threw him at across the street into a parked car. With a sinister smile he raked his fingers over Adam's chest, ripping the fabric of his costume and drawing a thin trail of blood.

In truth, the demon was having the time of his life with the other four Rangers. Tommy had been fun, but one on one there was only so many times he could hurt somebody. His old powers were returning and the longer he stayed outside of the underground chamber, the more powerful he became. He opened his mouth and a spray of venom went flying at Tanya, eating through her uniform. She gave a shrill shriek and fell back. Rocky and Kat tried to double-team him, using their Gem Coin Blasters, but he just laughed, placed a hand on his eyes and then pointed his hand at the two. Multicoloured fireballs flew from his hand and eyes, striking the Blue and Pink Rangers.

Adam recovered, pulled out his side arm and took aim, but Beast Master just waved in Adam's direction. As the Rangers watched in surprise, pink tentacles of energy burst from under his feet, wrapping around his waist, feet and hands, lifting him into the air. Another one slapped the weapon from the Green Ranger's grip. The Green Ranger, struggling with the writhing tentacles, was effectively immobilised.

Kat lifted her Power Bow, intending to sever the energy tentacles. But Beast Master saw her move, and spat another jet of acid at her, striking the weapon. It melted the arrows to slag. He pointed his finger at her, and a blast struck her in the chest. She cried out and staggered back. Beast Master pointed at the ground, and as Kat watched in pure disbelief, the asphalt under her feet turned to quicksand. Her feet sank, trapping her. Katherine screamed and tried to surface, but the road-turned-quicksand pit slowly but surely began to drag her down.

Rocky lifted his Gem Coin Blaster and got Beast Master in his sights. Pressing the trigger, he sent a blast of electrical energy flying towards the enemy. But the demon's senses had greatly increased and he swung his arm at the energy, striking it like a batter would strike a baseball, and sent it straight back at Rocky. The blast tore the weapon from Rocky's hands.

Rocky looked up into the face of his opponent. Beast Master allowed himself a smile and winked at the Blue Ranger, laughing as the teen's uniform caught fire. Rocky only screamed for a moment before he passed out and demorphed, the fire extinguishing along with his powers.

* * *

"Ouch!" Tommy complained as he punched the walls.

With no other option he tried to force his way out. He had noticed a small glimmer of light through a crack in the roof. He had hoped it was the entrance to the dimension, but couldn't reach it. He thought through his options and was left with only one real choice. He hoped Alpha had been able to include it with their helmet upgrades.

"Metallic Armour, power up!"

The colour of Tommy's uniform changed from red to white as the defence system was energised. The outer layer of his suit was covered in metal bubbles to prevent damage. He focussed on the rocks and started to punch his way through. Progress was slow, but at least his hands didn't hurt. Eventually he reached a point where he could be sucked out of the dimension.

"What is that?" Beast Master asked as a high-pitched whistle filled the air.

He turned in time to be hit by the sudden flash of energy as Tommy drew all he could manage from the Morphin Grid and discharged it through his hands. Beast Master was hit and stumbled back as the other Rangers were released from their entrapment. The others added their own power to Tommy's wave of power, each aiming for a different part of the demon's body. As tall and powerful as he was, Beast Master could not remain standing without his legs. With a sudden surge they sent him to the ground.

But Beast Master was not about to lose his freedom after only recently gaining his freedom. He used his powers to grow to his full size and then started stomping on the ground below. Soon the Rangers were desperately dodging Beast Master's massive feet.

"Enough!" Tommy cried before calling out: "Ninja Zords, activate!" He was even more relieved to hear four other voices make the same call. That meant they had all recovered.

"Let's do it guys," Zeo Falcon called. He flew his Zord into range of the others. "Okay, insert Gem Coins, now!"

"Ninja sequence initiated. Wolf remote, online" flashed in front of his visor.

Zeo Falcon read the message displayed and smiled, pleased that once again the sequence had at least started. With his Gem Coin in place Zeo Falcon pressed the commit button and let the Gestalt System take control.

The arms and legs of the Ape detached from the body, the legs of the Bear split away from the body and legs and head of the Wolf retracted into the Zord's body. The bodies of the Ape, Bear and Wolf joined together to form the upper torso and arms of the Megazord. The legs of the Ape merged and connected to the base of the upper torso to complete the main body.

Meanwhile the Frog had transformed into a pair of legs, joining with the Bear's legs, which had transformed to make two feet, to form the lower body. The arms of the Ape had converted into fists, which connected to the arms.

Finally the body and arms merged with the legs, allowing the Falcon Zord to clip onto the back and the Crane to slide into place as the head. As with the previous Megazords, the Rangers were all grouped together in a single control room.

"Activate Power Sword," Red Ranger ordered. Although in its first outing the Ninja had lacked a Power Sword, Billy and Alpha had subsequently managed to build one that while not powerful as previous versions, had some cutting ability.

"A sword?" Beast Master asked mockingly. "I expected so much more of you."

He spat at the mighty Zord, his acidic saliva burning a hole in the robot's foot. He raised his hand, pulling the battered streetlights off the ground with his magic. As he opened his hand, the posts were thrown towards the huge machine.

The Ninja struggled to remove the metal posts from its limbs. While it was distracted, Beast Master attacked, clutching a heavy 'I' bar. His swing knocked the machine off balance and it was only through sheer determination on the part of the Rangers that they managed to remain upright when a second blow almost dislodged its head. Rocky took control of the Power Sword and managed to connect with the bar on its next strike, resulting in a shower of sparks and the removal of a slice of metal from the end.

Beast Master smirked and poured some of his magic into the 'I' bar. When it connected with the Megazord's left arm, the robot was forced backwards by the energy.

"Full power to the sword," Tommy ordered as he deactivated the safety protocol and allowed the body of the Ninja to act as a massive energy conductor.

The Power Sword was energised by the time Beast Master pressed the attack and was able to successfully parry each blow. Beast Master got tired of playing fair and spat at the sword. The acid ate through the blade, but he had no time to gloat as the Ninja had linked its hands together to deliver a double axe-handle blow to the demon's face. A quick spin kick took advantage as a strong shoulder block took him down.

The Ninja moved in close, allowing Beast Master to grab it in a bear hug, his body suddenly expanding to apply more pressure. The machine struggled in the villain's grasp as its back started to crack.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Tanya declared as she took control of the legs and drove the left knee into Beast Master's groin.

The demon let go for just a second, but that was long enough. The Ninja staggered the villain with a flurry of punches and a drop kick. As Beast Master was shaking off the attack, his opponent struck him with a powerful head butt.

"Zordon, we need Titanos," Tommy called.

"On his way Rangers," Alpha replied.

The silvery mass of Titanos made its way through the damaged streets of Stone Canyon. This was not Titanus, the huge mechanical dinosaur that had aided both the Dino and Ninja Rangers of Earth. The Rangers had used that machine on a previous occasion and had found the interface had damaged both machines. This was a copy of the powerful machine crafted by Billy Cranston and intended for his friends the Aquitian Rangers. Billy had tried to sculpt Titanos, as closely to the original as possible, and except for a difference in the quality of the armour and the shade of his colouring, it was hard to tell the two apart.

"Ninja Ultrazord, power up!" the Rangers called.

Titanos's head and neck dropped forward, its sides opened to reveal a cannon on either side and a platform appeared inside the vacant space. The Ninja MegaFalconzord took to the air and landed on the platform, the head and neck returned to their normal position as it did so. The arms of the Zord detached as the wings of the Falcon folded around so that its rocket launchers were pointing forward. Then the arms reattached.

"Lock on!"

The powerful wheels mounted under the Ultrazord moved it into position so that the weapon systems could lock onto the demon. A loud buzz indicated they were in range.

"Fire!"

The entire arsenal of the Ultrazord struck Beast Master, causing the villain to scream before his body was thrown into the air where he remained suspended b the energy. Then the attack ended and he plummeted back to the ground. His body cracked, the evil spirit contained within desperate to get away. He coughed violently, spewing up a small orb that was lost under his falling body.

"Hit him again!" Tommy ordered. "Fire!"

This time Beast Master was destroyed.

* * *

Power Chamber

The Rangers had left Stone Canyon as soon as they realised they had won. Their task was far from over and was now looking all the more difficult since Jason's team had not reported in. The Zords had been repaired and their powers had been placed on charge ready for what was to come.

Stone Canyon had almost returned to normal. The damage Beast Master had caused was restored to normal, but the humans he had killed could not be revived. That in some ways made the job more difficult. The Rangers would never get used to the idea that not everyone survived a monster attack. The death toll was becoming higher with each battle and now if Elemental Beasts were loose, the Rangers were all a little worried about what was to come next.

Adam's father, Detective Park had arrived at work having received an anonymous tip concerning the attack. He and his staff had spent the time making plans for emergency shelters. Zordon had passed information that revealed that the Elemental Beasts would head for Angel Grove first, drawn by the Ley Nexus in Angel Grove Park. In the end they had done all that they could and returned home. Rocky had put it best when he said all they could do was hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Zordon and Alpha had refused to allow the Rangers near the computer, stating that a distraction could cost Jason's team dearly. In the end he sent them home to change and report back ready for further action.

As they teleported away, Alpha and Zordon went to work on the Zords. Not only would they oversee the repairs to the Ninja. They hoped that combined with the Gem Coin Zords, their arsenal would prove sufficient.

They would receive their answer when Jason and his team returned.

* * *

In the old abandoned warehouse just outside of Angel Grove, new occupants had moved in. The building had always seemed ominous to those who tried to approach it, perhaps explaining why it had failed to make a profit for any of the entrepreneurs who had tried to lease out the space. But now, the building had a definable air of evil about it. Not the usual kind, more of the incompetent sort.

Jas tightened the bandage, a little harder then necessary, on Roma's arm. She tried to wrap it around as gently as she could, but her laughter kept making her hands jerk about.

"Dammit Jas, not so tight!" Roma said through clenched teeth, "And stop laughing, it ain't funny."

Jas and Roma were sitting on a makeshift couch in what used to be an office. When the four of them arrived on Earth, Rita and Zedd had given them the warehouse, stating that humans were too scared to take it from them. Of course they had to spice it up a bit. With various weapons hanging on the walls, some furniture here and there, and of course a nice cosy fireplace.

On the other side of the room, bandaging himself on his own couch was Dwanin, who didn't look nearly as bad as Roma but was banged up in a similar way. On the wall above his head were the remains of Boogah. Jas had not been pleased when she had discovered the theft of her precious scythe. She had swiftly ensured that Boogah was sent to a new home: the afterlife.

"You're right Roma it's not funny," Jas said seriously, but then a sneaky smile escaped on her lips, "It's freakin hilarious!" She laughed if possible harder then before. Barely getting a hold of her self she turned to Dwanin, her laughter still bubbling in her voice as she spoke, "I can't believe all three of ya'll got the stuffing knocked out of you by a seven-year-old."

"He was seventeen! Not seven, seventeen!" Dwanin corrected hotly. "And he had help."

Roma shot an evil glare at Dwanin that didn't go by unnoticed just for talking. Jas just continued laughing, taking out some peroxide and dabbing it on a towel.

It was a real surprise to say the least for Dwanin when Roma had managed to follow his fellow Packspawn home, alive. After Boogah had quickly grabbed Dwanin, the two flame-travelled their way back to their home. Regardless their strict codes of Packspawn loyalty to one another, they still went by there own code that was famous for all those like them everywhere: Every man for themselves!

Both of them were quite certain that their dear leader hadn't made it out. Needless to say though, their mourning for him didn't last very long. In fact, Boogah in particular wasn't at all upset. He was so certain that Roma was dead that he and Dwanin decided to go brag about it to Jas.

Boogah and Dwanin barged into their chamber, where they found Jas carefully cleaning one of her favourite riffles. "Hey Jas, guess what!" Boogah had said excitedly. Jas simply nodded, letting him know she was listening. "I'm going to be the new leader!"

Jas turned her head slightly, still polishing her gun with a cloth, "Really," she said lazily, "I could've sworn that this little dude named Roma still was."

Dwanin chuckled as he sat himself on a couch, "Not anymore he ain't. Nor's Boogah when yo finds out what he did."

"Uh" Boogah had ignored the comment, hoping Jas would too and had sat next to Dwanin, kicking his feet on the coffee table, "After what happened to him, he ain't never comin back... So" He clapped his hands together and sat up straight, confident that now that Roma was gone, Jas was finally his and his only, "My first act as new commander is that you Jas," he licked his lips, "Fix up some of my war wounds, slowly and... sexily."

Jas shook her head and went back to what she was doing, not at all impressed with Boogah's assumptions of Roma's death. Why was it that Boogah in particular always forgot that one small detail about a Packspawn? "I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you," she said mysteriously.

Boogah's look of superiority and triumph faded slightly at Jas's comment. He felt unnerved by it. He covered it up though, by asking curiously, "Why is that?"

Boogah never saw the blade as it tore into his skin, shredding his organs as it did so. But as painful as that seemed, the mere act could not account for the inhuman scream. "Because yo stole from me," she growled. "Besides, he'll be back, believe me. Just a shame you won't be," she added with a sort of evil smile. And right she was, because as soon as those words were said, a deafening cry sounded throughout the warehouse as Boogah was consumed by the holy water she had placed on the blade.

"Boogah! Dwanin!" A familiar voice yelled, reverberating around the walls. "YOU LEFT ME! JUST WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

Dwanin jumped up and looked at Jas, hardly noticing his former comrade's remains dripping down his leg - fear crawling deep into his skin. "Uh oh," he said.

That one small thing that Boogah had forgotten was the fact that all Packspawns were practically immortal. In other words, it would take a hell of a lot more than an explosion to kill them. Holy water was another matter, but an explosion had no chance. Especially when the Packspawn in question was Roma.

Roma had survived, although he didn't return unharmed, quite the contrary. He was severed vertically in half and burnt to a crisp. He came in with his body smoking and soaking wet, half of him dragging the other half by the tail.

And now here they were, Roma annoyed at his comrades and furious that he could not punish Boogah for his stupidity, Jas in hysterics after Roma told her what happened, Dwanin so scared of Roma that he felt the urge to wet himself every time he even dared to glance in his comrade's direction, and Boogah of course had by now shrivelled to a fraction of his former size and had been used for target practice. Death would not save his body from punishment, even if it did rob Roma of those delightful screams.

"Oh, oh my mistake," Jas continued, "so ya'll got your butt whooped by a teenager." She slapped the towel onto Roma's torso. He hissed in pain as the liquid came in contact with his cut.

"No, no you don't understand Jas these Rangers are crazy!" Dwanin tried to defend frantically. "You should've seen em. They just changed clothes and bam, it was all over and they wer jumpin around on the walls all over ta place like a... like a little monkey or somethin!" he gestured what he meant with his arm. Not a very good idea since both of them were practically detachable and the slightest move made a sickening crack. His eyes watered in pain as he numbly set them down at the side. "Ouch!" he screamed gasping.

Jas rolled her eyes. She put the peroxide away. Anywhere else in the galaxy the wounds would have healed magically, but not on Earth. "Quit being a pansy and suck it up."

"As much as I hate to say it, Dwanin has a point," Roma said with his teeth still clenched tightly. They couldn't tell if it was because he didn't want to admit it or if he was still recovering from the peroxide.

Dwanin stuck his tongue out at Jas, glad that Roma had agreed with him. She retaliated by taking a step towards him. He flinched back, fearing that she was about to hit him. That was all the response Jas wanted as she sat back down satisfied. "Punk."

Roma continued, "Those kids can't be all human. They's way too powerful, I could feel it." Dwanin nodded in agreement.

Jas snorted. She had to say it; it was just too easy, "Yeah, you could feel his foot right up yo butt."

Roma glowered at her with utter menace, "Will you just cut the wise cracks already!"

Jas put up a peace sign, "Okay, okay. I'm done." She dumped the rest of the blood soaked towels into a wastebasket beside them and put the Band-Aids back in the first aid kit. "Seriously yo, I could understand those two morons getting their backsides whooped by a grandma in a wheel chair, let alone a teenager," she said, jerking her thumb in Dwanin's direction.

Dwanin sat up. "Hey!" His arms flailed about, in a sorry attempt to look intimidating. But with his burnt up backward hat and two limp arms he looked far from it.

Jas calmly picked up her rifle off of the floor and pointed it at Dwanin. He immediately froze into place. "I'm callin you a moron, got a problem with that?" Jas smirked when Dwanin furiously shook his head no. Just because they couldn't die, didn't mean bullets didn't hurt, especially at close range! "Good, now go sit down before I use you as target practice like I did Boogah" Dwanin didn't need to be told twice. With a quick gulp he scurried back to his side of the room.

Jas turned back to Roma, "As I was saying, how did you get beat so bad? I mean if you weren't immortal you'd probably be looking a hell of a lot worse then this."

"It was all Boogah's fault anyway," Roma accused rashly, "I had everything under control until he came in with that scythe of yours. Yo know how it's cursed so only you can use it and triumph."

"It is?" Dwanin asked flabbergasted and flinching as he did so. He was carefully wrapping his tail with a special fireproof Band-Aid, and the slightest move could make it even more painful. "If Jas locked her storeroom I would never have taken it and we wouldn't be in this mess."

Roma stood up and stretched a bit, his tail swishing behind him. "Well we can't do anything about what happened before, but I do have a plan to get them back," he pounded his fist in his hand, "hit them where it hurts most."

This got Dwanin's attention. Knowing Roma his plan was most likely going to involve plenty of violence and torture, something that he would love to do to those stupid kids. They sat up straight, waiting for Roma to go into further detail of his idea. And Roma would've continued, that is if Jas hadn't beaten him to it.

"What makes you think Zedd will let you help him again," Jas said with little interest in the subject, most of her attention on polishing her gun.

Roma made a noise, his arms folded across his chest, "You really think I give a damn about what that chrome face says?"

Jas shrugged, "No. I'm just sayin that he wants those humans destroyed and yo boys are a liability." She trailed off, conjuring up a mirror with a flick of her hand and a flash of red light. She sat her gun beside her on the couch and used the towel to polish her horns instead.

Roma seemed to consider this, "Yeah I see where you're headed, but that Zack kid pulled my tail. It's personal now, and if he ends up dead in the process then what can I say," he turned back to Dwanin, "Come on ya'll, we need to make some preparations first."

The Packspawn got up, rubbing his hands together as best he could in excitement, "Ooooh preparations! Sounds good to me."

A quick glare from Roma shut down Dwanin's eagerness. Roma wanted nothing more then to backhand him into next week, but damn it, that wasn't a good enough reason! Apparently he was still feeling angry with him for abandoning him like that. Every time Dwanin would say something, even when it wasn't stupid - although it was most of the time - he wanted to just strangle him until his face turned blue and his lungs collapsed. He cleared those thoughts from his mind, for now, and concentrated on something else. Jas had taken out a metal filer from her pocket and was now scraping it against her horns, "hey, you comin Jas or what?"

"Nah," Jas said, looking at them through her mirror. "I've still gotta customise some weapons," she said with less enthusiasm then she normally would when it came to this subject.

Roma shrugged, "Suit yourself, let's go ya'll." Roma and Dwanin left the room, all the while Roma muttering something like, "First, we're going to need to use those egg things they were after as bait, then when those brats appear... pow!" some more silent mumbling and then, "Of course I know where they are, we placed a tracking spell on Trini remember?"

Jas watched them leave before returning to her private chamber, sighing happily as she shut the door. Beating the tar out of Boogah always seemed to lighten her mood. Maybe she would go take a nice hot bath before fixing up that damn scythe. Repairing it would be a snap, but was just something she didn't have the patience for right now. Yeah, she'd do it later; it was always easier to work after she had taken a bath.

* * *

After visiting Billy's storeroom - an experience they would not forget in a hurry - to allow Trini, Kimberly, Zack, David and Aisha to find some weapons, the Grid Warriors had teleported to an area just outside of New York City. Billy had taken a little longer teleporting and when asked he told them he had been making a few last minute arrangements.

"Now where?" Zack asked.

Billy pulled a device from the inside of his trench coat, and after pressing a few buttons he pointed towards some trees before setting off at a brisk pace. The others followed, noticing as they continued that the wooded area was the result of magic rather than nature. For one thing the plants were deformed, but more telling was the concrete beneath their feet. While the trees were tall enough to be considered over a century old, the concrete had been laid recently.

They followed Billy for some time before he came to a stop. The temperature had dropped unnaturally low and the trail he had been following seemed to disappear. He looked at the device again and was ready to set off, but Trini held him back and signalled for the others to remain silent.

Ahead of them they could hear movement and the unmistakable sounds of Putties patrolling the area. Jason cursed; somehow Zedd and Rita had found the location before them.

"There's a way around, but it would delay our arrival," Billy stated. "We cannot afford to waste the time."

Jason nodded. He wasn't keen to go rushing into danger without knowing the odds. On the other hand if it was only Putties, they had a chance.

"We'll split up," he said after some thought. "Billy, Zack, David and Aisha try to go around. The rest of us will try to cut through the center."

"Right!" the others answered before splitting off as directed.

"Try not to power up," he instructed as they left before leading his group down the trail.

The dark trees seemed to reach out; suddenly they rounded a bend and stopped dead. Hanging from the tree were two hikers, both hung by their necks from the branches of the tree directly across the trail.

"Oh no," Trini averted her eyes but Sam looked the hikers over carefully. From their packs they must have been hiking for a few days, and both were clean so they had bathed. And looking at their packs... there seemed to be necessary supplies missing. Aisha was examining the ground. Jason and Sam knelt beside her while Trini remained standing, eyes alert for signs of an attack.

"See there? There was a large group of hikers, some of them were killed here, and the others were taken prisoner." Sam pointed to drag marks and signs of a scuffle, Jason nodded in agreement. Jason hurried on, a sudden chill made them all halt, the wind whipped fiercely.

"Something's out there," Kimberly murmured, searching the forest, a sudden crack from behind them made them all jump. A dark shape went behind a tree, a harsh breath came from behind them, and Jason drew his sidearm and fired as he turned, thinking hard of how nice it would be to get back to the Power Chamber. The shot struck the hooded shape not two feet behind, making it stumble and flee.

"Putties!" Trini warned as an incoherent noise filled the air, Kimberly blasted the first one off its feet, the others leaped back out of the way as her three teammates opened fire, their cover blown. Trini ducked out of the way, using her weapons to batter the clay foot soldiers. Sam stunned another one; Jason had sent a dozen or so Putties fleeing. Another one leaped out of a tree, landing on Sam's back and knocking him to the ground. Aisha kicked it and the fight stopped, Jason looked around, something wasn't right, but he couldn't say what.

"You okay?" Jason asked, the others looked up and nodded.

"We're close, and they know it, and so he'll be setting traps to slow us." Sam said, dusting off his suit.

"The we should hurry." Jason said and they were off again.

"Do Putties just run away now?" Trini asked. "They used to vanish or fall apart."

"They didn't look like Rita's Putties you guys," Kimberly mentioned. "They seemed lighter."

"Maybe they're not Putties," Trini suggested.

"The evidence does support that hypothesis," Billy said over the radio link they were using.

"Whatever they are, they're easy to knock down, but keeping them down is difficult."

Jason's breath steamed, it was still winter really and cold, suddenly two things swung at him from opposite sides of the path, Jason threw himself flat and rolled under them. There was a thump and a horrid scream from behind him that was abruptly cut off. He leaped to his feet and whirled, and stopped. Two more bodies suspended form ropes; he could feel the remains of the trap he'd stepped on. Kimberly had her hand over Trini's mouth; it was she who had screamed.

"They're wasting time, both of these people were toyed with before they were killed." Sam said, moving forwards and looking closely at the bodies.

"All the better, come on, they've still got a head start." Jason took off again, jogging along, trying to look out for traps.

He burst through some bushes and instinctively leaped, this would be a perfect place to dig a pit, and behind him Sam was not so tuned in and crashed through the well-hidden trap. The others clustered around.

"Are you okay?" Jason called down; Sam struggled in the mud and stood up, wiping blood off a cut of his jaw. He ignored Jason's question.

"They're getting smarter." He levitated himself out, "well what are we waiting for?" Jason was about to say something, but thought better of it and turned and started off.

Kimberly raced forward, feeling the wind and listening, slowly it occurred to her that she could hear the others, and one of them was running irregularly, limping. They'd only been going for about a mile, the large area they had covered seemed smaller when they weren't thinking about it. She knew that they were all in good shape, but maybe someone was tiring... or injured.

Jason realised that they could be running towards their deaths as they followed in Kimberly's wake, but they had to get to the eggs. He jumped a tripwire, one that Kimberly had left undisturbed. He dropped a small glow stick so the others would see. Behind him Trini and Sam were holding back, waiting for the signal.

They were running along a gorge when Jason overtook Kimberly so she could catch her breath. He could see holes in the rock and a collection of... poisoned darts? Set so that they would fly from slingshot-like things as soon as they felt the slightest vibration? Or a spell maybe? Well they couldn't turn back and he could sense something foreign ahead, no doubt Rita's handiwork.

Jason ducked as he went through the narrow part, something whizzed by his ear, he dropped and rolled and a few more flew. Jason leaped and dodged and ducked, darts hissing about him, something hit his sleeve, but the padding prevented it from going further. Jason yanked it out and tossed it away, finally they stopped and he as well, behind him the others followed, their path clear of darts. He stopped to wait on the other side.

In hindsight that had not been the smartest thing to do, but it was his nature to be slightly impulsive and charging through the problem had seemed to work on this occasion.

"Jason, look out!" Kimberly cried as they were attacked from all sides.

* * *

Billy's team had had an easy time of it. While Jason was making enough noise to alert all those forces that were protecting the eggs, Aisha, David, Zack and Billy worked their way silently around. The traps though nasty were spaced so that they made easy progress. And with extra equipment Aisha was wearing to enhance her keen senses, they were able to avoid triggering many of the mechanisms.

So it was that they reached their destination first, a cliff above the nest guarded by two almost human figures. Zack groaned as he recognised them.

"Not these guys again."

"Oi! It's that Zack kid!" Roma shouted, catching sight of the Black Grid Warrior.

"So much for cover," Aisha commented.

"Affirmative," Billy agreed. "I suggest we utilise our full capabilities to counter this threat."

"I guess..." Zack said, not sure what Billy meant.

"Guys, we have to morph," Jason said over the radio. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Tigerzord!"

"Dragonzord!"

Before leaving Sam had turned his Power Coin other to Zordon who had used it to magnify the powers of the coin Billy had given him. The result was eight Rangers sharing the power of two Rangers instead of sharing the power of just one Ranger.

"Mastodon!"

"Pterodactyl!"

"Triceratops!"

"Stegosaurus!"

"Sabre-toothed Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

Beneath their outer clothing the Rangers were transformed into their Grid Warrior uniforms, however the only outward sign of this change was the addition of a small emblem on their chests. No longer hidden from the enemy, they leapt into battle, weapons drawn and any attempts to sneak about forgotten.

What followed was a mess as part-demons, imitation Putties and other protectors clashed with the Grid Warriors. Jason, Sam and Billy took the worst of the hits, their opposition having learnt that they were carrying the means to destroy the hyperlock units.

Finally Sam managed to break free of the oncoming Putties. He made his way to the eggs and was almost overcome by the stench of evil. Zack was soon by his side and together they used the curved blade to smash the shells.

Four of the shells were cracked, revealing the goo that the Elemental Beasts reverted to during storage. The black fluid oozed out, causing the four remaining eggs to react violently. The forces that had been distracted by the other Grid Warriors turned back to the nest and the two warriors found themselves dragged away.

Clouds formed overhead and the wind picked up. Fire and ice, wind and dust pelted the Grid Warriors. They struggled, but were driven back as the ground cracked. One of the Packspawns grabbed the nest and vanished, taking the four surviving beasts with him. His comrade, who Zack recognised as Dwanin, found himself on the receiving end of Jason, Sam and Billy's combined sword attack, though Billy's timing was off and the blow failed to have as much impact. He screamed as he was almost sent to the great beyond.

The Grid Warriors fought until the area had been cleared. Without the unnatural powers of the Elemental Beasts the woodland had died down and without anything to protect the golem foot soldiers started to crumble.

Finally after a lengthy battle the Grid Warriors returned to the Power Chamber, their mission a failure. It could have been worse.

* * *

The atmosphere was tense when the two teams of Rangers finally gathered in the Power Chamber to discuss the Elemental Beasts. Not only were the events of the last few hours fresh in everybody's mind, there were unresolved issues between team members that lurked beneath the surface.

Jason had taken the initiative, explaining the Grid Warriors' short adventure. As he spoke, his eyes were shifting between the Zeo Rangers, searching to signs of anger or disappointment. He found neither.

"So after that we returned here," Jason concluded. "I'm sorry guys, we couldn't get them all."

"Hey, you did your best and at least now we only have four to worry about," Tommy reassured his friend.

"According to my calculations the Elemental Beasts will still require time before they are ready for release," Billy stated. "We still have time to co-ordinate a defence."

The others exchanged glances, unsure if this was a good or a bad thing. True they had more time, but such a delay meant they had to wait before confronting the worst.

"Are you okay?" Tanya asked as she walked over to where David was sitting. In the excitement of the last few hours, the other Rangers had forgotten that David had been thrown into things without being asked. She had no doubts, having experienced a similar situation, that David was feeling some uncertainty.

"I'll feel better once this is over and I can go back to my normal life," the teen admitted. "No offence, but the life of a super hero is not for me. I'll be here while you need me, but then I just want to get back to normal."

Tanya nodded understandingly. Tommy and David were very different people despite being twins. Neither actively sought out danger, but while David had for the most part managed to avoid trouble, Tommy had a nasty habit of attracting it.

"Don't worry," she assured him. "It'll work out. Things always work out in the end."

* * *

Outside the Power Chamber

Kimberly Hart stared across the desert to where the small city of Angel Grove stood, blissfully unaware of the oncoming threat that could level it in a matter of seconds. Coming home had seemed so easy, but life was never that simple.

Coming home meant facing her friends again, something she did not want to do. Seeing them brought back the feelings of loneliness she had had after leaving to train for the Pan Globals. Returning home meant leaving a world of routine and relative safety for a city where even survival could not be guaranteed on a day-to-day basis.

And of course, there was the number one reason of why she was so uncomfortable to be back in Angel Grove: Tommy Oliver. The tall, handsome, charismatic leader of the Rangers was also as unpredictable as a summer storm. One minute, he was sweetness and light, the next, he was tottering on the edge of the dark places in his soul. His unpredictability had been one of the things that made it so exciting to be in love with him, but it had also made it frightening.

When she had found herself away from him, in Florida, she had been so confused in her feelings. She had missed him like fire, but at the same time, she was relieved to no longer be afraid of his dark side. After she had regained some sense of stability in herself, she had realised that she could survive without a relationship with Tommy. In fact, she had come to realise, that the way things were, she and Tommy never stood a chance as a long-term relationship. Sooner or later the fire would be gone and the darkness would take over. They both deserved better than that.

Kat on the other hand understood Tommy to some degree. The relationship would be difficult, but they could survive together. Whether they would be together in two years or ten years time was anybody's guess. In the end it all depended on how badly Kay wanted it and whether her love for Tommy would carry her over the hard times.

Kimberly meanwhile had not spent her time moping about lost loves. Upon realising her feelings she had set about writing the now infamous letter, releasing Tommy to find the person he could be happy with. She had found herself drawn to Chad. He embodied all of the qualities that she had loved in Tommy, with none of the danger. He loved her, respected her, and she enjoyed his company a great deal. He might not have been her soul mate, but for now he would do.

A slight cough snapped her out of her thoughts. She already knew who was there, but turned around anyway. As she expected, Tommy was leaning against the wall of the old citadel.

"It's been a long time," he told her.

"Too long," she hedged nervously, refusing to meet his eyes.

He laughed, a sound she had missed. When he spoke his voice lacked the venom she had expected and while not the tone she was used to it did not sound hateful.

"It's nice to have you back Kim. We missed you... I missed you."

"Tommy, about the letter," she offered, but he cut her off.

"It hurt Kim, more than you'd ever know. I thought we had something that would last and you couldn't even tell me to my face." He paused and looked at her, his face still friendly if a little hurt. "Was I really that bad?"

The way he asked the question combined with the puppy dog eyes broke the tension. Kimberly giggled despite herself. Trust Tommy to lighten her mood. "I was scared Tommy, not about what you would say or do, but about whether I would be able to tell you in person. I couldn't stand the confusion anymore. You and I - sometimes, it felt so right, and sometimes it was so wrong. You were cold and distant, and then warm and loving. You always seemed ready to snap, and I just couldn't take it anymore. You scared me, Tommy.

I couldn't decide to leave until we were apart. When I was with you, things were always so confused. My emotions were a roller coaster ride, and I couldn't think straight until it stopped. Then, I didn't want to wait because I needed to do this, and I was afraid I'd lose my nerve. I did love you, Tommy. Whatever you may think of me, never think that I didn't love you.

The person in my letter was a lie and I am sorry about that. I needed a way to let you go that wouldn't leave you feeling guilty enough to come and change my mind. I didn't meet someone until I had sent the letter and then it was a few weeks before he spoke to me. His name was Chad Kincaid and yes, he is still my boyfriend. But you have to believe me, I didn't break up with you for him."

"Are you happy?" Tommy asked.

Kimberly blinked, unprepared for the question and unsure how to respond. In the end she nodded and smiled. "I'm happier than I have been in a long time Tommy."

"Then so am I," he whispered before giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "You mean too much to me for you not to be a part of my life, even if that means we are just friends."

"Friends," she agreed.

It was too easy. Their words while genuine had not cleared away all the doubts and anxieties created by their teenage minds. They would need to talk again, but for now the few words they had exchanged would be enough. "We've both changed, haven't we?" Kim asked softly. "You aren't the person I left, and I'm not the person who did the leaving. I'm glad we get a fresh start."

"I'm glad too and you're right: we have changed. There's so much we need to talk about, all of us, but not now." He changed the subject. "Where are you staying?"

"With my dad and my brother. Funny, both of my parents moved to Angel Grove after the divorce, and didn't even know it 'til a year later. Look, I'll see you later. I have to get home." Tommy nodded, watching her as she walked back inside. Then, with a sigh, he returned to the Power Chamber.

* * *

Despite being dismissed by Zordon, the Rangers had remained at the Power Chamber for some time, just catching up on the events in each other's lives. The Grid Warriors despite having access to the news had been unaware of how hard the Zeo Rangers had been fighting.

Billy had slipped out early in the conversation before Tommy and Jason started to explain about Minion. He knew they wouldn't mind and would just assume that the fate of Aquitar was still a sore point for the Blue Grid Warrior; after all he had abandoned his wife and her friends to their deaths just so he could escape.

The truth was that Billy had things he needed to do that he didn't want the other to know about yet. He considered it a surprise; one he knew would turn the tide of the coming battle.

"Hey Billy," a soft, feminine voice said behind him.

He didn't need to turn around to know that the voice's source was clothed in yellow. "Trini," he said.

"I'm sorry, Billy," she mumbled, sitting beside him. "About Cestria, I mean. I should have been there for you. I guess we got so involved with the Peace Conference, we just didn't think to contact you guys." She paused as if debating whether to continue, reaching out her hand to stroke her friend's cheek before continuing. "I'm really sorry Billy, it's bad enough I wasn't here for you without making it worse by lying."

That got the Blue Warrior's attention though he didn't turn towards her, anxious to keep her from seeing the expression on his face.

"We missed you guys, Billy. I know we never said so, but when Tommy arrived to bring Jason back, Zack and I spent the next week hoping that we would be needed... or wanted. That's why we stopped calling; we were afraid that one of you would say something and we'd take the opportunity to abandon the conference. Instead we just became more isolated."

They sat together in awkward silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say. "I wish I had said something earlier," Billy said finally.

"Do you... think...that maybe, somehow, there's... Never mind." Her face was turning redder and redder with each passing moment.

"A chance for us?" Billy asked. He prayed silently that that was what she was going to ask. If not, he had just gotten herself stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Yeah," Trini managed, feeling hopeful.

"I think when this is over we'll see if you still feel the same and go from there," he told her. Eager to change the subject to something less embarrassing, he jumped up. "I just had an idea," he said. "About speeding up the repair times for the Zords by utilising the old power regulators."

"Can I help?" she asked as Billy disappeared headfirst into a floor space.

"Affirmative," came the reply.

"Just like old times," Trini muttered before lowering herself into the conduit.

**To Be Continued. **


	15. Fangs of the Speed Hound

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Fangs of the Speed Hound

Angel Grove was the same as ever despite the threat of the Elemental Beasts that had yet to make an appearance. Following their failure to destroy the containment capsules, Aisha, Zack, Trini and Kimberly had agreed to return to Angel Grove full time.

Rita and Zedd had resumed their previous attacks and the Gem Coin Rangers along with their returning allies soon fell into a new pattern of longer periods of inaction followed by the occasional monster attack. In addition to Zedd and Rita's existing arsenal, Finster had manufactured a matter altering device and yet another means of recreating his previous monsters, this time using clay.

Mondo had also returned; the mechanical monarch, his aristocratic wife and spoilt son along with their two servants had taken to attacking immediately following an attack by Rita and Zedd. Their intention was obviously to capitalise on the Rangers' fatigue.

Mondo had ordered an automated cycle of attacks. This meant that the Rangers had to become even more adaptive as they fought not one, but two types of monster requiring different approaches; after a few near misses they had discovered that the hit hard and fast technique worked against Rita and Zedd's monsters but usually failed against Machine Empire efforts. Nobody had yet broached the subject that somewhere out there, Gasket was also lurking.

"Man, is it me or did it seem that Rita and Zedd put hardly any effort into that?" Tommy asked as he led the Rangers over to a quiet corner of the Youth Center.

"Definitely not the monsters I remember," Aisha seconded. The former Ranger had been watching the battle on a portable television.

"What'll it be guys?" Emily asked.

Since closing down his beach club, Ernie had given Emily a job at the Juice Bar for the winter months.

"Five smoothies please," Tommy answered after an unspoken conversation with his friends.

"And I'll have one of Ernie's Mega Salad sandwiches," Rocky added.

The others laughed. Rocky did not overeat and actually maintained a well-balanced diet. However, his metabolism like those of the other Rangers was slightly higher than most teenagers. Of course the metabolism of a normal teenager was naturally high anyway. With all the activity he packed into his day it was only natural that he felt hungry. Of course it was the fact that he often chose to eat at the Youth Center that led to some people thinking of him as a human mouth with a bottomless stomach.

"So where are you staying?" he asked Aisha.

Once the excitement of returning to America had calmed down, the Rangers had been faced with more practical problems. Aisha had flown home early, under the pretence of reporting to the University on their success. In fact their sponsor was Zordon who had managed to rig events so the sponsorship ended up with the Campbell family and had been given educational backing from the facility. That meant that upon reporting Aisha would attain the credits she needed for higher education and a spot at a university of her choice.

When she had first arrived, Aisha had been satisfied to stay at the Angel Grove. But she realised that in the long run, her parents would need a home where the whole family could live.

"I'm going to stay at my parents' old house in Stone Canyon," she answered. "Maybe I can enrol at the high school again."

The others nodded. It did make some sense. Kimberly had chosen to return to Angel Grove, but had accepted a placement under the tutelage of a local coach. It meant while she was often around, she didn't have as much time to spend with her friends.

Trini and Zack had surprised the others when they had returned to the United States, but not Angel Grove. Technically they were still part of the Peace Conference and while no longer representatives, they had agreed at the last minute to finish their education. That meant both of them had undertaken individual research until the end of the school year. Both had touched base briefly in Angel Grove before starting their project work. It was fitting in some way that they had chosen to study provisions for youth in small towns and cities within the United States. Zack had chosen Newtech City and Trini had selected Blue Bay Harbour. Later they would combine their research and combine notes before moving onto the next area.

"How does that work anyway?" Rocky asked, referring to the switch over between Aisha and Tanya. "I thought the Zeo fragments were found in the past."

"Actually Tanya's from our time," Tommy told him. "Or at least that's what Billy told me. The Orb of Doom just screwed things up so much that time twisted itself into knots around that one event. Ten years became six months, weeks became minutes. Even now I doubt things are totally back to normal, it still seems as if time is moving at it normal pace but the days are passing at a slower rate.

Anyway, when Vile used the orb, he literally ended everything. I doubt he cared since they were outside of the disturbance he could use it to recreate things according to their tastes. But Earth is a resilient planet and reality is just too stubborn to end and start anew. Instead the orb's power was perverted and could only change the Earth to look as it did several years before. I think Billy said due to the Earth's volatile state in relation to time, such an action resulted in a pseudo-timeline in which Tanya and Aisha changed places."

"When we united the Zeo Crystal, it cancelled out the effects and time restored itself as best it could. In short: that whole period is one big mess. Technically we were in the past, but since Zordon had realised the Zeo Crystal would not be destroyed and had locked onto the location of each fragment, we were able to retrieve our crystals from the present." Adam paused as Rocky realised where he was going.

"Except for mine, which caused a volcano to erupt and had to be retrieved just after it arrived."

"Right," Aisha agreed. "So the quests took place in the present, several years earlier than the real year. When I switched places with Tanya, my parents never moved to Angel Grove with Adam and Rocky, but agreed to spend time in Kenya with Ashala's tribe. We never sold the house because we always thought that once their contract was over, that we would return to Stone Canyon."

"That's why Tanya was so well adjusted to life in Angel Grove," Kat suggested.

Aisha nodded. "And of course if I had been trapped in the past I could never have sent Tanya any mail."

"Great," Rocky smiled. "Now I have just one more question: who were those weird Ninja Rangers who took over while we were children? I thought they were aliens, but Zordon said they were from Earth."

"I guess that's something we'll never know. Hey, why don't we help you move your stuff in?" Tommy asked. "I bet the place needs some cleaning."

"Thanks, you guys," Aisha answered.

* * *

"So, those goody two shoes are trying to make their friend feel at home are they?" Rita cackled as she looked through her Repulsa-scope.

"I don't know Sis, are they?" Rito asked, oblivious to his sister's glare.

"Quiet Bonehead, I need to think."

Rita knew that her recent monsters were not up to the standard the Rangers expected. It had been a deliberate move on her part to give the impression that she and Zedd were just not up to par. In fact, while she was sending down a stream of pointless monsters, Zedd was working on a new scheme. He hadn't told her what it was, except to mention it would be good. ~For his sake it had better be.~

She looked down at the varying monsters Finster had made for her, each sharing the characteristic that she had rejected them in the past. If nothing else this was a good chance to prove that her opinion about some of Finster's monsters was indeed correct.

"Aha!" she almost shouted in delight. "This one will be perfect."

"The Sp- eed Hou- nd," Rito read over her shoulder.

"Just what we need around here, another stray mutt," Goldar mumbled.

"Quiet Monkey Boy," Rita warned. "Oh Finster!"

In his workshop Finster looked up and through some unknown means seemed to see the monster she wanted. He muttered some sort of acknowledgement and started his work. The Speed Hound was a monster he had never created before because Rita had rejected the plan outright. So, as he didn't have a model ready, he decided to give Rita a surprise. Throwing the clay he was holding back into the storage jar he made his way to another box marked: Super Putty.

The Speed Hound was actually a rehashed idea Finster had dreamt up one morning after too much of Rita's yelling. He had taken a creature known as the Hell Hound and had given it a pair of clay sneakers. Then he had simply altered the shape so it appeared humanoid, ignoring the impossibility of it standing for long. In short the monster had been worthy of Rita's contempt, but now she wanted it Finster knew he would need to include some improvements.

He altered the design slightly, changing the monster from a dog that resembled a human to a werewolf. He paused to consider the possibility of capturing a real werewolf to do the job, but decided he didn't want to involve himself with humans.

"He's ready, my Empress," Finster grovelled when he had finished. "I've made him extra quick to catch those kids."

Rita looked the monster over critically. She had to admit it looked mean as it sniffed the air and growled at her. Goldar remained in the corner, well aware that this monster like so many others was probably doomed to failure. Why Zedd allowed this level of incompetence to continue, was beyond him. But there again, he hadn't seen his Emperor since Rita had commenced her activities.

"I shall take some Putties and soften them up for you Empress," he said, as he grew tired of sitting still. Maybe if he were lucky he could capture a Ranger or two and earn favour with Zedd.

Rita gave a grunt that he took for her assent and in a burst of flames he left for the planet below.

* * *

Having opened all the doors and windows, the Rangers had dusted the house from top to bottom. During the Campbells' absence a neighbour had maintained the lawns, but there were still areas of the garden that needed tending. By the time they had finished they were hungry and had agreed to find the local shops and buy some food.

They were walking back to the house when Goldar and his group of Putties confronted them. The five teens quickly assumed their fighting stances and the fight was on.

"Split up!" Tommy instructed.

Stone Canyon was still quiet after the monster attack that had occurred days earlier. Many residents were still cautious and luckily the streets were abandoned. They were close to a small building site and although they knew it was dangerous to enter, decided it would be worth it if they could fight the Putties without being seen.

"Come and fight me, Tommy," Goldar challenged as Aisha, Kat, Rocky and Adam faced off against the Putties. Tommy did so and the two exchanged blows. Goldar knocked him to the ground and laughed. "You cannot morph here, Red Ranger. And without your powers, you're nothing!"

"Goldar, you talk too much," Tommy panted. He had found a shovel near a pile of cement and brandished it as a club.

The two warriors continued to fight as they had done many times before. Their battle was personal, a matter of pride on Goldar's part and survival on Tommy's. As Goldar moved to slash Tommy with his sword, Zeo Falcon rolled to his left and jammed the handle of his weapon into the back of Goldar's knee. Growling in surprise Goldar bent over to attack his opponent, at which point Tommy smashed the titan in the face with the shovel. He laughed as Goldar fell on his back.

Katherine led some of the Putties over to a set of large pipes and crawled through. The Putties followed her but were soon stuck inside the pipe while Kat with her smaller body managed to slither free. Adam meanwhile made his way to a layer of freshly poured cement. He waited for the Putties to charge and then ducked, allowing them to fall face-first into the quick drying mixture.

"Rocky, look out!" Aisha warned.

Unmorphed, Zeo Ape still had been busy enjoying himself and had failed to notice when the Putties crept up behind him. Even so, his training in Ninja competitions and his time as a Ranger meant he had learnt how to dodge and that was the technique that came in especially useful. He allowed the Putties to over balance in the various bricks and sand they were lying around. Then when he was certain he was ready he exploded at them with a series of vicious kicks.

Aisha had been too busy fighting her own Putties to pay too much attention to Rocky and Adam. There had been a time when the three of them would fight together and back each other up. Those days were sadly behind them, the edge they had developed through years of friendship and their time as Rangers had diminished while they had been split up. The only cure was practice and time, neither of which they had in abundance. So instead they had to rely on themselves.

Although she worried about her friends, she had faith in their abilities, just as they had faith in her skills. During her time in Kenya her skills had not lost their edge; if anything, the change in practice partners had improved her skills. Some of the other aid workers were from families with strong traditions of Karate. They had travelled from Japan to help and were eager to have someone to spar with. A few throws and a lot of kicks later and she was clear and ready to help her friends.

All the while Tommy was fighting Goldar, a fight in which the winged monkey had a clear advantage despite Tommy's initial advantage. Even as Tommy was thrown to the ground yet again he realised that the best he could hope to do unmorphed against Goldar was survive. In previous encounters he had triumphed, but that had been with surprise on his side. This time he did not enjoy that small advantage.

As he fought, he allowed himself an occasional glance at his friends, just to see how they were managing. He was pleased when they finished off the Putties and ran towards him to help. At least five on one they stood a chance of landing a lucky punch or kick.

"Enough of this," Goldar growled suddenly. "Retreat!"

In a burst of flame Goldar vanished, leaving his companions behind. The Putties had already disintegrated.

"Check around," Tommy hissed.

Adam and Rocky moved to the entrance to the site while Aisha and Kat checked the equipment sheds. Tommy scanned the area, knowing that when Goldar retreated a monster would normally appear as a replacement. He raised his communicator to contact Zordon and was thankful that they had found a way to boost the signal so that it could no longer be blocked by magic.

"What is it Tommy?" Zordon asked.

"Zordon, we were just attacked by Goldar and Putties," Tommy told him.

"You must be on your guard Rangers," Zordon said. "If Rita has sent Goldar and her foot-soldiers, she is probably planning to send down a monster of some sort. Teleport to the Power Chamber immediately."

"Right Zordon, we're on our way," Tommy said. He made eye contact with each of the others and somehow they knew what he was thinking. They silently made their way to his side and together they teleported away.

* * *

When the Rangers arrived, Rocky, Tommy, Tanya and Katherine moved to look at the Viewing Globe while Adam walked over to where Alpha was studying a computer printout.

"Rangers," Zordon said after what seemed an eternity. "Rita has sent Speed Hound to Earth. You must go and face him."

"Ai-yi-yi, Speed Hound is attacking some joggers in the park," Alpha said.

"Time for action," Tommy decided. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

Aisha closed her eyes and concentrated on forming the connection between herself and her powers. "Stegosaurus!" she called as she was once again energised with a fragment of the power of a the two Power Coins that Alpha and Billy had jury rigged as a power source.

"Power Rangers!" they called.

The skeletal dog attacked, scratching with his claws and attempting to bite the Rangers with his fangs. For the first part of the fight they held him at bay, but the monster had a few surprises in store for the Rangers.

"Grrr try my flea attack to grrrret you jumping!"

The Rangers sparked as they were assaulted by millions of fleabites.

"That wasn't funny!" Zeo Falcon snapped.

Zeo Ape whipped out his Gem Coin Pistol and fired, but Speed Hound was too quick to be hit. He darted left and right before pouncing on the Zeo Ape, drool running from his mouth. His teeth bit into the Rocky's arm, making him squirm in pain.

The Ranger powers made use of an extremely dense fibre surrounded by an energy field and sustained by the internal energy grid of the Ranger's morpher. The suits were intended to absorb energy blasts and physical assault. They could by penetrated though if struck by a small projectile or extremely sharp blade. The energy field could regenerate the suit in the event of any damage just as the Ranger's healing would take care of his wounds.

However, the small breach in Rocky's suit caused by the Speed Hound's surprising strong teeth, had allowed it to infect the Zeo Ape with a spell. Animal instinct replaced rational thought as slowly he was transformed from Rocky into the Speed Hound's pet.

Aisha attacked and knocked the monster away from her comrade. Her hands blurred as they jabbed toward the beast.

"Grrr help me grrr Rockyy!" Speed Hound ordered.

Aisha turned to see Zeo Ape snarling at them. His helmet had disappeared either because Rocky had removed it or because the spell had changed his helmet into a snarling head.

"He must be under a spell," Zeo Frog said.

Before the others could reply, Speed Hound and his pup attacked. The ferocious Gem Coin Ranger jumped at Aisha and bit her. Now the odds were three on three.

* * *

"We have to get back to the Power Chamber," Tommy said. "Alpha..."

"Teleporting now Rangers," Alpha said.

The five Rangers were teleported away; three would arrive in the Command Center while the other two were placed in a containment field.

"Alpha, can you help them?" Kat asked.

"We will do our best," Zordon answered.

The Rangers were silent while Zordon and Alpha worked. Each was wondering what they could have done differently. Tommy especially felt guilty for the fate of his friends. If he had noticed the threat or somehow stopped them, they wouldn't be in this situation.

Eventually though Tommy was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Alpha cry out in alarm.

"The only way to safely restore them is to destroy Speed Hound's collar," the robot said.

"You will need to work as a team and then destroy the collar with your Zeo Pistols," Zordon said. "I have contacted Tanya and once Rocky is restored you can use the Zeo Power Blaster to finish him."

* * *

When the three Rangers returned to the park, Speed Hound was still running around. He skilfully avoided their attacks, using his stealth and his speed to attack as often as possible.

"Tommy!"

Red Ranger caught onto his teammate's idea, as did Pink Ranger. Red fired one weapon, while Pink waited for Speed Hound to move. He did, dodging to the right where Pink intercepted him with her weapon. Tommy then shifted to stop the skeleton from moving the other way as Adam leapt in close and struck the beast with his own weapon.

Tommy dropped to one knee and took careful aim. He could hear a voice telling him that he should not even try this shot, but he ignored is and squeezed the trigger. He fired three shots, the third shot released the collar and Katherine fired her weapon to destroy it. Speed Hound howled with rage.

* * *

In the Command Center the two released Rangers picked themselves up and after assessing the situation on the Viewing Globe were once again ready for action.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Ape!" Rocky cried.

Aisha moved over next to Alpha so she could watch the battle unfold.

* * *

"You're going down, Speed Hound!" Red Ranger called.

A pair of blaster bolts nailed the monster as Blue Ranger arrived.

"Let's do it!" Green Ranger called.

"Right!" the other Rangers responded. They touched their weapons together, merging the energy.

"Fire!" they called.

* * *

"Uh Sis," Rito restarted.

"I know you Ninny!" Rita cried. "Magic wand, make my monster grow!"

* * *

The wand struck the ground as the Rangers' weapon fired. As the monster grew the blast went wide and dispersed.

"Zordon, we need the Defender Zords, now!" Tommy called.

The Zords were soon on their way and the Rangers assembled the Megazord. After a swift battle they called on the Power Sword and finished the monster.

**End of Part **


	16. A Stressful Workout

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

A Stressful Workout

Australian Outback, Earth

This was not really Australia. It was more of an artist's impression of how the outback should be. In truth it was a room created inside of Power Mountain, using advanced technology to change energy into matter for a short time. The image converters allowed the Rangers to see, hear, smell, touch, and taste everything they would experience in the Outback. Alpha had programmed the room so that the Gem Coin Rangers could practice with their temporary powers.

"Ready guys?" Tommy asked.

"Ready!" Rocky, Adam, Kat and Tanya answered.

"It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!" Tommy grimaced as if he had touched a hot plate. The sensation only lasted for a short time and he was happy to mark it down as a side effect of using two separate power sources.

"Begin simulation," Zordon instructed, he was watching events from his Plasma Tube.

"Yes Zordon," Alpha responded.

A troop of WD Units appeared and at Alpha's command, they attacked the Rangers.

"Begin!" Zeo Falcon commanded.

The Rangers were outnumbered to offer a realistic training season and to allow them to test their improvised combat techniques. This was the first training session they had had since switching to the Gem Coins. By now they had learnt what their powers were capable of. At first they fought using hand to hand combat. Then they used their Gem Coin Pistols to cut down the numbers.

"No effect," Zeo Falcon noted as the robots kept coming. "Switch to level two attacks."

"Shield Wall!" Kat called. The transparent pink wall surrounded her and as with a small movement of her hands, it shifted outward to slam into the unsuspecting WD Units. The machines fell from the impact, but quickly regained their footing.

"Phase mode!" she ordered. The wall faded as she directed it to move away from her to cover the machines. "Phase mode deactivate." The WD Units were now trapped in the energy field. She clicked her fingers and the wall shrank inward, crushing everything inside.

"Crane Blast!" She raised her fist to her visor and waited for it to ignite. Then she moved her arm in a wide circle and punched the air in front. Flame shot from her fist and engulfed another machine.

"Power Daggers!" Zeo Bear called.

When Tanya had been Yellow Zeo, she had used the Nunchuks that came with her uniform. With the loss of the Zeo Crystal that weapon was no longer available, but Tanya had quickly grown accustomed to wielding the Power Daggers of the Yellow Morphin Ranger.

Switch the weapons between their heavy cutting form and their more slender piercing mode, she aimed for the joints and other notable weak points, disabling limbs rather than whole machines until she could go back and finish the job.

"Gem Coin Blaster!"

During a search of Power Mountain, the Rangers had discovered a set of multipurpose weapons based around a self-contained unit with interchangeable cartridges. The cartridges determined the type of shot and ranged from simple bullets to explosive acid shots, and even laser beams.

"Twist Pack," she said, slamming a new ammo pack into the receptacle.

She took aim and fired a shot at the nearest WD Unit's ankle. She was delighted when the target exploded, tipping the machine off its feet. She fired at two more machines. A head shot for one and a chest shot for the other. The results were not as positive; the chest shot deflected harmlessly while the head shot only accomplished a large hole in the machine's cranial unit.

Disappointed she charged forward before the machines could recover and attacked the same spots with her daggers. This time the machines went down.

"Strobe Blast!"

Two yellow metal balls shot from Tanya's helmet. The first hovered over her head while she held the other in her hand. Then as both exploded, she moved; the hovering ball let off repeated bursts of light that blinded the WD Units. The ball in her hand exploded with energy every time she landed a punch. The two effects combined made it appear that she was not moving.

"Screw Kick!" Zeo Ape called.

Drawing on a reserve power cell and using it to enhance the power of his Gem Coin, Zeo Ape ploughed into a group of robots. His energised foot smelted anything in its path. When he landed, he kept his powered-up foot in the air whilst twisting on the other leg. His savage kick landed on an incoming WD Unit and decapitated it.

"Power Axe!" Zeo Frog cried.

There was little finesse to his hacking style as he made his way through the nearest group of droids. He was more selective than his blue teammate and targeted the power units on each machine.

"Falcon Blast!" The Red Ranger's power erupted from his helmet, took the form of the phoenix and flew at the few remaining WD Units.

"Gem Coin Cannon!"

When Alpha had been unable to locate and separate the Zeo Cannon for the Rangers, he had decided to build something that would serve a similar purpose. It was large, so much so that in addition to the Rangers holding it up, it also required two additional legs.

"Fire!" A burst of multicoloured energy surged forth and as the smoke cleared the Rangers were left standing in a pile of scrap metal.

"Well-done Rangers," Alpha said. "Prepare for phase two!"

The wreckage was replaced by a new set of machines. These were larger and heavily armoured. Their enhanced shells repelled the Rangers' attacks. The Rangers were already prepared for this eventuality and used the already summoned cannon to punch a hole in the left side of the droid's skull.

"Rangers," Zordon boomed. "I have detected unusual energy readings somewhere outside of Angel Grove. You may continue the simulation, but Alpha will not be available to change the scenario."

"Okay Zordon," Tommy said. He had hardly heard what his mentor had said due to the advancing machines. "We need the heavier artillery guys."

Each Ranger placed a glowing ball of energy inside the firing chamber, connecting their powers directly to the device, and lowered the heavy weapon from their shoulders so that it now fired like a mortar cannon. They waited for the machines to move closer before firing. The weapon was not built for accuracy, but was more than capable of destroying a large area. As the energy wave struck the ground, it vaporised everything in its path.

"We're done Alpha," Zeo Ape said into his communicator. "Alpha?"

"He went to check on something," Zeo Falcon said.

The Rangers put their weapon back into its hiding place and moved their hands to their hips ready for teleportation. Nothing happened and Zeo Falcon remembered that the Training Room, where they were based, was shielded from teleportation. For all intents and purposes they were in Australia, but at the flick of a switch, the surroundings would vanish leaving only a small chamber.

"Command: Deactivate Program," Zeo Falcon instructed.

"Unable to comply" the computer answered.

"Let me try," Adam said. "Command: Override Program. Authorisation: Green Z Four."

"Program Activated" the computer said.

"Well that worked," Zeo Bear said sarcastically as the scenery changed to a swamp.

"Whoa!" Zeo Ape exclaimed as they fell into the quick sand that had appeared beneath them.

"Billy, we need some help here," Zeo Falcon said. He had thought the former Blue Ranger had been looking in.

"Help me!" Zeo Crane screamed as she felt something wrap around her leg and start dragging her under.

"Kat!" Zeo Ape cried. He held out his blade for her. "Grab on!"

"Gem Coin Pistol!" Zeo Falcon cried as he pulled his sidearm and aimed at a nearby tree. The weapon sizzled as the sand caused it to jam.

"It's pulling me under!" Zeo Crane warned.

Luckily Zeo Bear had the solution, firing an ice pellet into the ground, freezing the surface and allowing Kat to climb free. Before she was clear, a huge snake flew into the air. Its tail was wrapped around Kat's foot and as it returned under the sand Zeo Crane was taken with it.

"Kat!" Zeo Bear yelled.

"Hold on Kat!" Zeo Frog called as Zeo Falcon summoned his sword and attempted to slice it in half.

"Mmph mmph - mmph mmph!" Zeo Crane managed. The sand that caked her helmet muffled her words.

The snake reappeared a moment later and exploded. Zeo Crane followed, throwing the end of the snake's tail aside as she did so. Her helmet vanished as she gasped for air.

"What happened down there Kat?" Zeo Falcon asked.

"I gave him indigestion," Pink Zeo quipped, holding up a Gem Coin Blaster.

"How did you get that?" Zeo Bear asked.

"Zordon asked Billy to make us each a Gem Coin Blaster and include it with our powers," she answered. "As long as you know what you need and it's been connected to your powers, you can call on any weapon in the arsenal."

"You should see the place now," Adam added. "We all thought it was just a large room, but it actually goes on for miles. Billy is a serious collector."

"Um guys, not to interrupt or anything, but we should probably get out of this sand," Rocky said.

Before the Rangers could do so the scene vanished to be replaced by the metal walls of the Training Room.

"Alpha must have fixed it," Zeo Falcon said. He had spoken too soon. When he finished, the setting changed yet again.

"Oh man, this is too much!" Zeo Ape complained.

A new environment had been created. This time it featured a few of the monsters the Rangers had faced in the past. Peckster, Silo and a Varox stood ready.

"Divide and conquer," Zeo Frog suggested.

"Right," Zeo Falcon agreed. "Adam and Rocky handle Peckster, Kat and Tanya deal with Silo, and I'll take care of the bounty hunter."

As the other couples moved away, Zeo Falcon allowed his opponent to attack whilst he stayed back slightly. Even though he was not sure what was happening, he knew that the Varox was a dangerous foe

"Power Sword!"

Now it was the Varox's turn to watch as Tommy took the aggressor's role the battle. His attack showed the confidence and commitment gained through years of experience as a Ranger. Elsewhere, the other Rangers were making short work of their opponents and seemed to be having a bit of fun while they were at it.

Suddenly the three monsters started to grow.

"We need the Ninja Zords!" Zeo Ape called.

There was no response, the Zords having not been included in the program that was supposed to be running. Something was wrong with the simulator.

"Alpha must still be away from the controls," Zeo Frog stated. "Otherwise he would have stopped the simulation at phase two."

"How many phases are there?" Zeo Crane asked.

"Five," Zeo Frog answered. "The last one is meant to be Zord-sized monsters."

"So who changed the program?" Zeo Bear asked.

"The computer did," Zeo Falcon guessed. "The program is adaptive."

"But only when the safety protocols are deactivated," Adam responded.

That was when the Training Room reappeared and the door opened.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, are you all right Rangers?"

"We're fine Alpha," Tommy confirmed as the Rangers powered down.

"What happened?" Rocky asked.

"Rangers, teleport to the Power Chamber immediately!" Zordon ordered before Alpha could respond.

"Well, at least we got our workout," Rocky said as they left in a column of light.

* * *

Power Chamber

"Zordon, what's happening?" Tommy asked as the Zeo Rangers appeared in the Power Chamber.

"I am sorry for leaving you in the Training Room Rangers," Zordon said solemnly. "Somehow the computer program that operates the simulator became corrupted. Had Billy not discovered what was happening when he did, the results would not have been pleasant."

"Now the good news, we have a message from Trey," the little robot exclaimed. "He's on his way to Earth!"

"That's great news Alpha," Kat said.

"Yeah, with the Gold Ranger powers maybe we can recreate the Super Zeo Zords," Adam pointed out.

"Or help us retrieve the Zeo Crystal," Tommy added. "We need all the help we can get."

"This is indeed good news Rangers," Zordon boomed. "Even though your powers have changed, I still believe the six of you were meant to be a team. When united you will be the strongest force on Earth."

"That's not difficult," Rocky commented. "We're probably the only defenders left on the planet."

That was true. In the first few days and weeks of his attack on Earth, Minion had attacked any and all of the Rangers' potential allies. Some he had captured, others such as the Avengers he had incapacitated and a third group he had ordered to be destroyed. When the Rangers had found the bodies of Guy Gardner and former Flash Barry Allen dead in their homes, they had realised how bad things had become.

It had taken Zordon time to figure out why Minion had attacked some of his other targets. At first they had assumed that Minion wanted to control the planet's Ley Nexuses, but that had proven incorrect. Rocky had eventually solved the mystery after visiting Tommy's house and spotting Teddy Oliver's comic book collection. All the places attacked were the supposed homes of some of the Earth's greatest heroes.

**To be Continued **


	17. Sprocket's Chop Shop

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Sprocket's Chop Shop

Angel Grove  
Late night

The working street lamps barely provided enough light for the few pedestrians to see as they ambled along the sidewalk. Night time in Angel Grove had gradually grown quieter over recent months. Many residents were following the advice of the police and returning home early.

Keeping to the shadows, two figures walked down the street, studying the cars they passed with interest. They were dressed in black with woollen hats. Each wore black gloves and carried a shoulder bag that moved noisily as they walked.

"This one," the taller of the two whispered, pointing to a Ford Escort.

His name was Ben and he was a thief. At the age of thirteen he had learnt that crime could pay so long as you didn't get caught. At fifteen his school had been forced to invest in lockable cabinets and alarms after he had stolen their computer equipment so often that the school could no longer find an insurance company willing to cover them.

After school Ben had moved across the country, stealing cars for a living and selling drugs on the side. He had been caught a few times during the past decade and had only been released recently. Angel Grove was just a temporary stop over. The police force was too alert here to make a profit as a criminal. Still, with the monster attacks he had been able to turn over small shops without anybody noticing.

Tonight he was out car hunting, ready to leave the city the next day. He walked around the car, looking at each door in case the owner had forgotten to lock it. His eyes were also searching for the obvious signs of an alarm of an anti-theft device. There was nothing.

Jerry was a goon. If not for Ben giving the orders, the oversized man would probably never have left his couch after being released from prison. He had been in several gangs from an early age, lending his muscles to whoever happened to be in charge. He never changed because he had no desire to do so. He was happy being a goon.

With Jerry acting as lookout, Ben moved up to the car door and pulled out an old coat hanger. This was one of the first tricks his teacher had shown him and for the most part, it was useless. Still, it was worth a try. When it was obvious that it would not work, he settled for a more forceful method and prised the door open with a crowbar. By the time Jerry had seated himself in the passenger seat, Ben had hot-wired the ignition.

Laughing at their success, they drove off towards the city limits.

* * *

Space

Events on Earth replayed endlessly on the wall of complex video screens as Klank and Orbus discussed Rita and Zedd's latest failure in sickening detail. It was after all their jobs to analyse their failures in the hopes of finding some weakness they could exploit. So far the only useful fact they had found was that Speed Hound had somehow managed to break through the Blue Ranger's uniform. Other than that small fact there was nothing worth detailing.

"It is only right that the Royal House of Gadgetry show up this Minion," Mondo stated as he watched the Rangers finish moving their friend into her new home. "Rita and Zedd are inferior bunglers, this is something that takes machine ingenuity."

Since arriving back in the galaxy, the Machine Empire had been looking for an opportunity to regain some of the prestige it had lost after the Rangers had defeated them. At their disposal they had a massive fleet of Cog operated craft, but were reluctant to deploy them; a sudden all out attack on the planet could have undesired consequences such as Minion believing they wished to unseat him. With Serpenterra and the Zeo Crystal in his possession, the villain was dangerous. And Venjix had failed to retrieve the crystal when he had answered his king's summons; he had been dispatched back to the empire as punishment.

Marching Cogs into Angel Grove was not a solution though because despite being made by the advanced workers of Machine Empire, his Cogs were not a challenge for the Rangers. In fact as far as he knew only WD Units had proven a problem for the Rangers in recent months. On the other hand a good robot could destroy the Rangers before Minion, it would allow the Machine Empire to advance their position in the Alliance.

But what could he use? Sadly Mondo had to admit that he had exhausted his ideas and for some reason his design processor was failing to perform the task he had set. In humans he supposed it would be considered a lack of ideas.

"What's the matter Dad?" Sprocket asked.

The youngest manufactured member of the Machine Empire had, like his sibling, been programmed to admire his father. Grommet's admiration had been obvious from the way he had often accepted tasks even maintenance droids would complain about while Gasket's flawed logic dictated that the way to prove his admiration for his father was to surpass him.

"Yes dear, whatever is the matter?" Machina asked.

"I wish to send a machine down to the surface my love," Mondo replied.

"I can make a robot daddy," Sprocket said. "You promised I could try again."

"You did promise him dear," Machina said, suddenly feeling very hot and extending her fan to cool her microchips. Thinking was a demanding task and her primary function was to look regal and stand at Mondo's side. But she was willing to sacrifice some of her runtime to coming up with ways to help her husband. Such sacrifices helped to keep a marriage running smoothly.

"Yes my son, you shall make a robot. Klank, go with Sprocket and start work."

"Yes yea Majesty," Klank said as he hurried off, Sprocket running as fast as his short legs could carry him to keep up.

* * *

Ben and Jerry were not having a good time. Angel Grove's police department seemed to have chosen today to hunt down the two petty car thieves. They had been forced to turn into one of the industrial parks to avoid their pursuers.

* * *

"I'm finished Dad!" Sprocket cried as he waddled in hours later, followed by Klank.

Behind them walked a human sized robot that resembled a fat suit of plated armour worn by human knights. His metal plating was blue with thinner stripes of gold running vertically around his outer shell. A three-foot diameter saw blade had been attached to each shoulder, so that the tip rose just above his head and the lower part vanished into the chest cavity where it was sharpened. Another set of blades was attached to the outside of his shoulders and lower legs, also running vertically. A fixed blade was wielded to each foot, mangled to fit without affecting his walking. As a final touch, the robot's right hand had been replaced with an interchangeable saw blade and rifle.

"This is Chop Shop," Sprocket announced proudly.

"Wonderful workmanship son," Mondo stated.

"But Daddy, Klank won't let me have the control," Sprocket whined.

"Yea majesty, I thought maybe yea should control this one," Klank said, presenting the control to his master.

"You imbecile!" Mondo boomed. "Sprocket has earned the opportunity to work his own robot."

There was a loud bang and a moment later Queen Machina could be seen folding her fan and attempting to look surprised, well as surprised as her fixed face allowed.

* * *

Chop Shop appeared on Earth near to where Ben and Jerry were hiding.

They screamed, he laughed, there was the brief sound of saw blades whirling and then more screams as the crook's car was cut to pieces with them inside. They ran before the robot decided to see how well he could cut them up. Luckily the police car they had been hiding from emerged in time to take them to the safety of jail.

* * *

The alarm in the Power Chamber sounded and the Rangers gathered around the Viewing Globe. The Power Chamber's computer made a few polite enquiries of the monstrous machine, which responded like all creations of the Machine Empire with its name, serial number and warranty expiration date.

"It appears that King Mondo has allowed Prince Sprocket to build his own monster," Zordon stated.

The Rangers watched as Chop Shop made his way through the industrial park towards an electrical substation. His spinning blades cut through anything in his path. Concrete, wood or metal, it made no difference to his cutters.

"Man, we need to stop him before somebody gets hurt," Tommy stated as Chop Shop walked through a car, slicing it to ribbons in the process.

"Alpha and I will work on a way to neutralise his weapons," Zordon said. "For now it appears that he is limited to close combat."

"It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

* * *

The heavy lock and metal door were not enough to stop Chop Shop. His hand blade cut away the bolt and the hinges before he continued inside the substation. Destroying this building would knock out the electricity supply of the immediate area and cause shortages throughout the city. Not to mention the fire that would result from the destruction. It was bound to draw the Rangers into the open.

He walked casually through the substation, his undeveloped processor focussed on the sole task of creating mayhem. Sprocket had performed admirably when designing the body and weapon systems of his new toy, but had failed to give it a real personality. It could react independently for a short time on its own, but for the most part it was a remote-controlled puppet.

His metal body seemed unaffected by the high voltage cables sparking as he cut them loose, mainly due to the spike protection Klank had installed in the machine's more delicate circuitry. Unlike most machine monsters though most of Chop Shop's weapons and limbs shared the same powerful motors.

He turned from his task as the Rangers arrived, ignoring their warning speeches and attacking with little regard for their status. His arms and feet flailed as Sprocket tried to get him to fight properly. The result though was a very clumsy display, with its punches and kicks landing more by accident than on purpose.

"Swords!" Tommy instructed as he led his teammates into battle.

The Rangers drew their swords, but as they attacked they realised that for all his lack of fighting ability, Chop Shop had been built to make it difficult for any attacker. The heavy blades and plate armour were impervious to the blades and the sharp edges prevented the Rangers from getting close.

The Rangers moved back, drawing their pistols and combined their fire on Chop Shop's chest. The plating distorted under the combined attack of the five red beams of energy before the blast was knocked away. The Rangers switched their pistols for the more versatile Gem Coin Blasters. They fired again, this time using a variety of exploding projectiles.

For his part Chop Shop was limited in his attack. The weight of his weapons made him slow and awkward. His armour although important prevented his limbs from extending fully.

Sprocket punched the controls, frustrated by his lack of progress. The blade on Chop Shop's right arm transformed into a weapon barrel. He pushed another button and watched the new attack.

"Tommy!" Kat cried as a saw blade ejected from the cannon.

Zeo Falcon moved, but not quickly enough. The saw blade caught the back of his thigh, ripping his uniform and drawing blood. Zeo Frog and Zeo Ape were on the scene immediately, covering their friend as more disks flew towards them. They struck, causing sparks to erupt as they hit the Rangers in the chests. Both Rangers were thrown backwards.

Flames erupted from Chop Shop's cannon, turning from a smoky orange flame to the brilliant blue of a cutting torch. He ran towards the fallen Rangers as Tanya leapt into his path. The torch burnt through her weapon, causing the power cell to ignite. She rolled away before he could turn the torch on her.

* * *

"Make him grow Klank," Sprocket ordered.

"But sire, yea 're winnin," Klank protested.

Logic dictated that in a winning position there was no need to escalate the battle. But for all his imagination Sprocket still had much to learn about winning a battle and unfortunately it was not something he could download. Mondo had decreed that Sprocket should be able to create strategy rather than simply copying a previous success. He wanted a son who could lead, not a war computer.

"Do it or I'll tell my daddy," the young prince retorted.

Klank sighed. Either way he would be in trouble when the plan failed. This way he didn't have to listen to Mondo lecturing him about obedience first.

* * *

The Red Ranger was out of the fight, at least for a short time. His powers had kicked in to stop the bleeding although it still hurt. The damage the blade had caused to the muscles though would take longer to heal. For now he needed to put himself out of danger and allow Katherine and a slightly stunned Tanya to handle things.

He watched as the two girls battle the machine, using their speed rather than brute force to avoid his weapons. They couldn't cause any damage though and were tiring fast.

Then for some reason Chop Shop had ceased his small scale attack and had grown to monstrous proportions. The flaming torch he had been using against Aisha and Kat was now large enough to incinerate whole buildings.

"Zordon, we need the Sky Zords," Tommy called into his communicator.

At the secret hangar some distance from the Power Chamber, the five Sky Zords catapulted along the runway and flew towards the waiting Rangers. The Rangers regrouped and were ready to teleport aboard and take control of their battle machines.

"Megazord sequence, begin!" Tommy ordered.

Chop Shop had proven dangerous and while dog fighting would have worked against some monsters, the idea of a saw blade shredding his wings was unappealing.

"Sky Megazord One, power up!"

Sky Zord Five was the first to begin its transformation; a pair of legs folded out from the jet undercarriage, as the wings folded back and the arms bent upwards; the nosecone section folded back to reveal a small robotic head. Then, the arms folded in half and the legs did likewise, revealing a small patch of wiring. Tommy held the Zord ready as the remaining Zords moved in around him; a beam of light shot from each patch of wires and each beam connected to one of the other Zords.

The remaining Zords hovered in the air for a moment as their engines powered down and only the energy of Sky Zord Five kept them in the air. Their wings detached and merged, forming a single giant wing that glided over them. The nose cone, cockpit and fuselage of the Zords shifted so that the cockpit was mounted under the Zord and the nose cone formed a head. Two of the Zords shifted shaped to resemble a pair of legs and the other two Zords changed to form the arms. Finally they were drawn to Sky Zord Five where they slotted into the exposed section of wires. A connection was made and the union was covered by fresh armour as the giant wing attached to the Megazord's back.

"Drop Zord, now!" Tommy ordered.

The Drop Zord flew over the top of the Megazord and opened its upper doors. From there it released two massive fists, a solid pair of feet and an enormous head. The extremities slotted into place as the Rangers placed their Gem Coins into their consoles. The Sky Megazord was online.

"Stress Fracture Cannon!" Kat called.

* * *

Sprocket had seen the Rangers perform this move before and he had a suitable counter. He shifted the control pad, watching as his toy responded by using its cutting torch across the Megazord's chest. The robot moved closer, the two massive blades mounted in its chest rotating at full speed as it grabbed the Zord.

* * *

"I have control," Kat stated.

She pulled the joystick to the left, adjusting the Zord's wings to lift them off the ground slightly. A slight nudge and the machine was propelled backwards. She lowered the wing slightly so the feet were just scraping over the ground. With Tanya's help she lowered the feet and bounced them into a forward attack, shifting a fist to strike the enemy on the side of its blade.

The robot extinguished its torch, reverting at least temporarily to another blade, which it slashed at the Megazord's hip. There was a smell of fried wiring in the cockpit as the blade tore through fuel pods and wiring. The Zord attempted to turn aside and in the process reduced the depth of the cut.

"Look out!" Rocky warned.

Chop Shop had stooped over and was charging at the Megazord. The robot's largest blades dug into both sides of the Megazord's chest. As it cut deeper, the smaller blade made contact and started their own narrow cuts. The sharp spikes on Chop Shop's head, normally invisible due to the larger blades, pierced the Zord's lower abdomen.

The Zord collapsed from under the Rangers, the damage rendering its arms and legs limp. As the various cutters worked their way through, the distorted chest plating was pushed through the floor of the cockpit. Tanya screeched as a jagged piece of neck sliced her console in half.

"We need to abandon the Megazord," Adam stated.

Nobody argued and they were swiftly whisked away.

* * *

It had been an almost comical sight when Chop Shop had released the Megazord. At first it had swayed violently until the chest cavity had simply collapsed, dropping the shoulders onto the tops of the legs. Then the remains of the head and shoulders tipped backwards and collapsed to the ground as the legs splayed apart to land in a mangled heap. The large wing on the back tumbled away, embedding itself in the ground.

Prince Gasket, ruler of the planet Horath and would-be conqueror of Earth was outraged. Having been forced to take his leave of the bungling King Mondo, he had to watch as his wretched suck up of a bratty brother successfully caused the Rangers to retreat from a battle.

It wasn't fair that he, a ruler on his own planet should be forced into servitude. His father obviously lacked suitable optical sensors if he believed his third built son capable of being his heir. Anybody could get lucky in Gasket's opinion. Even Rita and Zedd had had their good days.

But how to show his father that he was the only machine capable of succeeding to the throne of the Machine Empire was beyond Gasket. As much as he loathed to admit it, Sprocket's creation had performed admirably. If he was to surpass his younger sibling, he would need to find a way to destroy the Rangers permanently. Of course that meant that first they would have to triumph over Chop Shop.

* * *

"I am truly sorry Tommy," Zordon said. "There is nothing I can do."

"I understand Zordon," Tommy answered. "Man, losing the Megazord is bad enough, but I liked those jeans."

The comment helped to break some of the tension inside the Power Chamber. In recent weeks and months they had lost mecha and powers on a regular basis. This time though, the machine monster had managed to penetrate their protective suits. The temporary loss of the Zords was sad, but this latest development was far worse.

"At least we can repair the Zords," Kat commented.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Chop Shop has moved near to Angel Grove Hospital," Alpha warned.

"He must be trying to draw us out," Tanya concluded.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy said.

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Red!"

* * *

"Techno Zords, online!" Zeo Falcon ordered

The new Zords raced into battle, shaking the streets of Angel Grove as they did so. Chop Shop staggered and returned fire by launching its flying disks, but the Yellow Zord performed an impossible spin to avoid the weapons.

"Hold on Tanya," Adam called as his Zord approached.

The green Zord, charged into battle. It had a single weapon attached to its front bumper. As he approached Adam hit the brakes and fired the energy beam, somehow managing to flip the Zord through the air to land behind Chop Shop; the beam increased the effect of gravity around the robot, causing the impact to intensify. Then he fired again.

Kat was next to arrive, her Zord's rear mounted thrusters transmitting extra power to the weapon mounted between the split nosecone. As she neared, she targeted the right arm in an attempt to destroy its most effective weapon.

Chop Shop spun away from the shot, trying to protect the arm with his body. Rocky took advantage as he directed his Zord into the robot's legs. He was followed up quickly by Tommy who managed, to position his Zord so it swooped down towards the robot's knee.

"Time to combine forces," Tommy announced. "Techno Megazord - activate!"

That was the beginning of the end for Chop Shop. Unlike the Sky Megazord, the Techno Megazord relied on speed and stealth rather than brute force. It ducked for a short time before bringing out an oversized Gem Coin Blaster and destroying the monster.

* * *

"Never mind son," King Mondo said, attempting to make his son feel better after such a disastrous defeat.

"It's not fair daddy, I want a new monster."

"I ave just the thing Yea Majesty," Klank offered.

"Perfect Klank, get to work at once."

Klank shuffled away, glad to be on his master's good side again.

Mondo watched his retainer leave and then turned back to his son. The Rangers would pay for this insult. He guaranteed it.

**To be Continued **


	18. Path to War

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing. The first scene was adapted from Ellen Brand's work.

Path to War

It was a tree stump, nothing more. But this tree stump for all its simplicity was a focal point of temporal energy within the multiverse. For upon this tree stump a relationship between the same two humans had been formed over and over across multiple timelines in universes that shared nothing other than those characters and of course that stump.

The weather in Angel Grove was warm and sunny, a perfect day to take a walk in the park. Jason had made a round of the concrete paths, and was now sitting under a tree, enjoying the beauty of the day. He was alone, much to his friends' objections. They had wanted to stay together and enjoy their time as a group. But as Rocky had pointed out the previous night, sometimes you just had to be by yourself. This was his freedom and although he was now a Grid Warrior, a partially powered Ranger drawing on a fraction of the power provided by a single coin, he would give the power up if it meant that he and others would continue to enjoy their freedom.

The Elemental Beasts were coming and though it was unknown when they would arrive, the anticipation was enough to make all the Rangers a little edgy. The feelings were worse among the Grid Warrior who would not be fighting in the confrontation. Zordon had ruled that only the Gem Coin Rangers should remain in the front line.

From Jason's point of view, Billy's assessment had been more accurate when he had said: "Somebody has to stay behind in case they fail."

Trouble was the last thing on his mind this morning, though. All he wanted was to sit in the warm sun and relax. Doing so did not make him healthier or stronger, nor make his powers any more reliable; it did make him realise what he was fighting to protect. Later he would go and meet up with the other and hopefully they could drive outside the city and take some time to enjoy the sights. If not, it didn't matter; in his heart he knew what he was fighting for: his home, his family... his world.

"Hey Jason, do you mind if I join you?" Jason opened his eyes to see Emily standing in front of him, smiling.

"Please," he replied enthusiastically, gesturing off to his left. She did so and they exchanged a quick kiss. It wasn't a deeply passionate kiss, but it showed how their relationship had evolved other a matter of months.

The silence continued, Jason staring across the park and Emily, who by now had a suspicion of what her boyfriend got up to whenever he disappeared, was happy just to spend time with him.

Jason couldn't help looking at her. She was every bit as striking as the first time he had seen her. When she plopped down next to him, he realized how comfortable he felt in her presence.

"So," he managed lamely, "How's the bike."

Emily laughed. Jason had fallen in love with her motorbike and after a few shaky lessons, which she suspected he staged for her benefit, he had turned out to be a good rider.

Jason grinned as he listened to Emily chat about her bike, and Ernie's bar. It was surprising how much you could miss if you didn't pay attention. Ernie had far more going on than he allowed the public to realise.

"So..." he started after a while. "The guys and I are going to go see that new action movie at the Angel Grove Multiplex tomorrow night, would you like to join us?"

She smiled at him. "Is this just another excuse to stare at women in tight clothes?" He flushed and stammered something. Emily grinned, she definitely knew how to embarrass him when she had to. "Seriously, is that the one with those super-powered teenagers saving the world? 'Turbo Heroes' or something? I think we get enough of that around here."

Jason shuddered, missing the small dig. "No way! Those things are so cheesy! I meant the new Segal movie."

"Sure. I'd love to. But there is nothing wrong with Turbo Heroes. Personally I think a guy looks cute in Spandex."

Jason couldn't help smiling to himself. "Great," he told her. "I'll meet you after work and then we'll meet the others at eight?"

"Sure." They talked about other things for a while, but all too soon, the real world intruded, and they both had to leave, Emily to work and Jason to his home. Walking back to his house, Jason almost forgot his problems. But somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that the danger was as real as ever and the Elemental Beasts were getting closer to appearing.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

* * *

In another part of Angel Grove another man sat alone. But his reasons for solitude were more to do with habit than it was to do with a desire to be alone. Sam Revilo was not used to having friends. In fact for the best part of two centuries he had been friendless. At first that had been due to fear; Colonial Angel Grove had been a superstitious place and once the surprise surrounding his arrival had faded, the fear that he was a witch had reared its ugly head.

He had never really been accepted and the day he had moved away to live with his wife, there had been much celebration. When she had died, Sam had been alone in the world. He had been unwilling to build new friendships only to see them crumble as his friends grew older and died. Immortality was a painful curse for anyone to bear. It was a curse that meant that you had to watch all your friends fade away. Sam was alone, abandoned by all his old friends... even Dragonzord.

So why was he even here? For a man who didn't want to have friends, why was he standing by them? In his heart he knew the answer. Rita and Zedd had created him to be a Power Ranger albeit an evil Power Ranger. That meant that whether he liked it or not he was destined to be a hero. He sighed. Heroes didn't really get a say in whether they accepted their role or not; fate was a cruel taskmaster and would see to it that one way or another, he would get involved.

He held his hands out, palms up and concentrated on the Dragon Flute, the last working link he had to the Dragonzord. He put the flute to his lips and played a soft mournful tune. As he played, he closed his eyes and allowed the power of the Morphin Grid to guide his thoughts.

In his mind he pictured the Elemental Beasts the Rangers feared would arrive at any time, in the hope that his spirit animal would guide him to where he needed to be. In his vision he could see the ocean moving beneath him as he passed over land and sea. The journey seemed to take forever until finally it halted

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

* * *

In a shaded spot in the shadow of a waterfall, a lone and experienced teacher stood watching two young warriors running through the exercises he himself had learnt as a youth. For David Trueheart the only difference between today and the last time he had drilled in this fashion was that this time he had a practice partner.

Tommy was not used to the routine, but having had his own workout regime he was able to adapt quickly and had not shown the difficult he would have felt had he been less active.

David didn't want to be a Power Ranger. That was not the sort of lifestyle he would choose if given a choice. But he had not been given such a choice and as a result had accepted the role as White Grid Warrior. However, now he had accepted the challenge of defending his world, he was determined to do his best to aid his friends. That meant he had to become familiar with his weapon of choice and know enough to use it without the Power to tell him.

Tommy stood in a fighting stance, a broadsword held in both hands close to his right ear, the blade parallel to the earth and pointed away from him, towards his front. Directly at the person he knew as a peaceful man, his brother.

He whirled the blade into a low-guard, pommel by his groin, blade extending up and out, both hands griped on the handle as he turned to face the north.

"It's not about anger, it's about peace," the teacher toned. When his old student had approached him, the sensei had been eager to help to teach his brother some moves. He had known Tommy's secret since the boy had become the White Ranger.

Again Tommy whirled the blade, this time turning to the west. He was dimly aware of the David mimicking his movements while the old sensei continued to speak.

"It's not about power, it's about grace."

A third time the blades whirled as the pair faced to the south.

"It's not about knowing your enemy, it's about knowing yourself."

A final time they turned, Tommy whirling his blade back up into the position from which it had started. Facing the east, the rising dawn, and his fellow student silhouetted by it, who slowly turned to face him, his sword mirroring Tommy's.

"Actually," Tommy interjected, "it's not about any of the above, it's about _all _of the above."

"Good," the teacher smiled, "you have learnt something from Zordon and Ninjor I see."

The two swords clanged together, the metallic rainbow hues of Tommy's broadsword flashing against the polished steel of a sword he remembered once being wielded by a Megazord. Of course it had been longer back then.

David kept his eyes centerd on Tommy's, reaching out with his other senses to predict his brother's next move. He brought his sword, the same one that had once belonged to the Dino Megazord, around and felt it lock with Tommy's.

He let it slide down to his opponent's guard, then whirled it away and through the space where Tommy had stood moments before.

"Closer David, but I think Tommy remembers more of Ninjor's training than he let on," the sensei laughed.

David didn't say anything and the two swords clashed against each other as the two sought out weaknesses in their opponent's defences. Neither finding what they sought.

Tommy reversed his grip and brought his sword up in a slash that started by his left foot and would have cleaved an opponent from right hip to left shoulder had it connected.

He felt it slice air, and just as quickly reversed its direction and brought his blade to a halt, the edge a scant millimetre from the side of David's neck.

"Looks like you're both dead," the old man said as he smiled, glancing at the point of David's own blade that firmly touched his brother's chest, directly above his heart.

David smiled as he whipped his sword up into a salute, then placed it in the scabbard he had affixed to his back.

"Good practice David, you are progressing faster than I would have thought. We will need to work on your ability to guess not only your opponent's movements, but also how he will react to your movements. We'll have to wait until you can both morph fully before trying that."

David nodded and removed the scabbard from his back. He handed it to his trainer and then walked over to find his shirt. Tommy did likewise, handing the broadsword back to its owner.

"That felt different to the Zeo V Power Sword," he admitted.

"Heavier no doubt," the teacher mused. "Not many can claim to have a sword made from the heart of a star now can they?"

Tommy nodded and walked over to join his brother.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

* * *

On a small island off the coast of Japan, the weather patterns had taken a turn for the bizarre. Hurricane force winds fanned the uncontrolled flames that fed on the rapidly grown vegetation, totally immune to the water spout that threatened to swallow the quaking landmass. At its center the four empty shells that had once contained the Elemental Beasts. The greatest force of destruction had been unleashed on the Earth and despite having the Grid Warriors as backup, only one force stood in its way: the Power Rangers!

**End of Part **


	19. Enduring the Elements

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Enduring the Elements

The alarms sounded throughout Angel Grove, summoning the people from their homes to their nearest monster shelter. At the schools, the students were herded into the basement and gym area where the roofs had been reinforced. In the financial and warehouse districts special bunkers had been built while in the residential areas selected houses had been strengthened. Inside the Youth Center, the largest monster shelter in Angel Grove, Ernie had turned on the television and was anxiously watching as the newscaster made his report.

_"This is the first time in history that the Power Rangers themselves have called a state of alert. Our sources inside City Hall reveal that two of the Rangers had personally warned the mayor that the attack would pose a serious threat to all areas of Angel Grove and that all citizens should report to the nearest monster shelter where they can be evacuated easily. Military forces have been placed on the streets to maintain order, but have been asked not to intervene in what this reporter has been led to believe will be a major confrontation." _

Ernie silently watched as the camera panned to where the Rangers had positioned their Zords in the sky above Angel Grove Park. There they remained hovering, waiting for whatever danger they were expecting to face.

"Good luck guys," he said quietly.

Inside the Zords, five Rangers sat waiting. They had failed to stop the hyperlock vessels from fully activating and releasing the Elemental Beasts, but they had at least discovered that Minion could not exert direct control over the creatures. It was not enough to hope that without the villain controlling them they would not attack, according to Zordon the Elemental Beasts were born to destroy regardless of whether they were being controlled. The Rangers had been lucky enough to destroy some of the hyperlock vessels, but that in turn left four of the powerful beasts alive.

The electronically generated sound of each Zord could be easily heard throughout Angel Grove. The Rangers had not merged their battle machines, choosing instead to wait in case their opponents arrived at the same time. The size and power of the blip that appeared on their radar soon changed their plans though.

"Let's put it together guys," Tommy said.

"Right!" his four companions replied.

"Ninja Zords unite!" they called, as the inserted their Gem Coins and Alpha initialised the Wolf's transformation from the Power Chamber.

"Ninja sequence initiated. Wolf remote control online" flashed in front of Zeo Falcon's visor.

Zeo Falcon read the message and with his Gem Coin in place, he pressed the commit button and let the Gestalt System take control.

The arms and legs of the Ape detached from the body as the head was retracted into the chest. The arms then joined together under the body and the newly formed unit shaped itself into the left arm. The legs connected over the head providing an extra thick layer of armour on the top of the arm. As the leg merged together and were sealed in place, the sole plates mounted to the feet drew back to reveal a series of wires and mechanisms.

The head and legs of the Bear detached from the body, which then rotated so that the neck was upright. The sockets for the front legs were at the top and he sockets for the back legs had slightly shifted position at the base. The four legs joined together and slotted over the torso to add shape to the back and reinforcement to the empty sockets.

The head of the Wolf twisted to the right with the lower jaw shrinking to make a thumb whilst the upper jaw split into fingers. The front legs were pulled in tight against the body and covered by a thin layer of metal to keep them in place. The tail twisted ninety degrees so that it was pointing at the ground. The rear legs altered shape to cover the rear of the Zord, leaving only the tip of the tail and some minor connectors exposed to view.

Then the three Zords united, wires and mechanisms on the Wolf and Ape slotting into the upper sockets on the Bear. Inside a heat seal was activated and pressure applied to forge strong joints between the body and arms. The head of the Bear then attached itself to the chest, once again forming a seal that could only be broken if the Rangers decided to separate.

Meanwhile, the Frog Zord had started its own transformation. The front legs were pulled back into the main body while the back legs were full extended. Heavy clamps locked the lower leg joints into position and allowed the cabling system inside to adjust appropriately. One the knee, ankle and hip joint had been properly set the clamps were released as the Frog's body continued the transformation. The mouth opened and the curved areas were squared. Behind the mouth the cockpit had been removed, leaving only the wires and circuitry; the tongue uncoiled and fixed itself in place. Then the Zord rotated into the air so that the feet were pointing towards the ground and the open mouth was pointing towards the sky, and waiting for the body.

The computer now took over since the four Rangers were unable to control their machines. The tongue of the Frog shot out to its full length, the solid metal sliding through a small hole in the base of the Bear Zord. From there the end split in half and emerged through the sockets that had housed the Bear's rear legs. With a sharp tug the torso and legs of the machine were drawn together. The wiring inside the Frog's mouth slotted into the sockets as its mouth closed firmly around the base of the Bear Zord. Torso and lower body adjusted their size to provide the correct balance for the machine.

At the appropriate time, Kat deactivated her Zord's thrusters and allowed Tommy in the Falcon to carry the Crane into position. The head and neck of the Crane flipped so it pointed straight down. Then it was pulled back to a position between the mechanical bird's claws. Where the head had been, the crude face of the Ninja was revealed. The wings folded behind the head to form a shield for the back of the neck joint.

"Releasing now," Zeo Falcon announced as he released the Falcon Zord's grip and watched the Crane Zord plummet.

When it was mere meters from the Bear Zord's empty neck socket. The beak of the Crane opened and then closed again when its descent was finished. The powerful beak locked into place as the neck enlarged to fill the hole. Once the cabling links were complete four of the Rangers appeared in the cockpit of the Ninja.

"Wing deployment to full!" Zeo Falcon ordered as he pulled back a lever to triple the length of his Zord's wings. He then directed his machine into position on the back of the almost complete Ninja. The head and talons of the Falcon locking into place as Tommy was teleported to the cockpit.

When they had first used the prototype Zords they had discovered that the main cockpit had a definite lack of seats. This time though they could not afford to be thrown about and had taken the time to build a proper cockpit. Six stations had been fitted despite there only being five Rangers to pilot the machine. With Zeo Falcon maintaining overall control and commanding the limited weapons of the prototype, Zeo Bear sat at a side console and monitored the leg units, Zeo Frog and Zeo Ape were responsible for the arms and upper body, and Zeo Crane acted as the team's eyes and ears.

Now hovering in the air over Angel Grove, the Ninja twisted in the air, searching for the Rangers' first opponent. A soft roar alerted them to its presence and they spun to face the first of the Elemental Beasts. The two gigantic creatures met in mid air. Flesh and bone met the hard metal of the Zord as the two mammoth creations traded blows with blasts of fire from both sides. The Ninja rammed its chest and shoulders against the Elemental Beast. It twisted its opponent's neck and slammed its elbow into the place where the neck met shoulder. The Elemental Beast's head snaked out on a long neck, aiming for the Zord's metallic throat, but it was kicked aside by heavy feet. Tommy worked the controls carefully and repositioned the Zord's wings to slow their descent. During their scuffle, both opponents had plummeted towards the city.

Adam shifted his controls and a strong punch connected with the Elemental Beast's shoulder. At Tanya's command, it stepped up almost on top of it's opponent and twisted about, tearing at its side and rolling off as the fire Elemental Beast writhed and slammed its thick tail into the Zord's head.

The blow rolled the Ninja despite Tommy's desperate attempts to correct their course. The tip of the left wing neatly sliced the top floor of one of the tall buildings and the Rangers were glad they'd ordered the city to seek shelter. Had anybody been inside they'd have been killed instantly. Even so it took all five Rangers to prevent the Zord from crashing into the ground. The Elemental Beast had followed them and the two foes were side by side. Once again the Rangers changed their position and moved forwards. The Power Sword raked across the Elemental Beast's back, which in turn retaliated by sinking its teeth into the machine's side.

Sparks flew from the damaged area and after breaking free the Rangers had no choice but to land. The Elemental Beast followed it down and the fight resumed on the ground. This time any thoughts of avoiding damage to the city were forgotten as the Zord was slowly beaten back towards Angel Grove Park. As they entered the grassy area in an undignified manner, the ground beneath them was torn up; The Ninja had been thrown so that it skidded along the ground on its back. The powerful wings of the Falcon Zord were buckled as the machine came to a halt near to Angel Grove Lake.

The fire Elemental Beast ignored the lake as it landed, leaving the Rangers with an advantage; the lake was behind the Elemental Beast. Fire cannot withstand lots of water, and the lake was very full. Once again they came together, the Zord lifting itself slightly off the ground and striking out with its fists and teeth. Knees and elbows collided as the Elemental Beast ripped at the Zord's mighty chest. Hands and claws connected as the two colossal fighters tried to overpower each other, their feet digging into the already torn up ground. Suddenly the Ninja turned slightly aside, the Elemental Beast, surprised, fell forwards allowing the machine to strike out again.

The claws of the Crane Zord were now positioned on the giant machine's arms, allowing it to rake the Elemental Beast's side. Blood gushed from the wound as the Elemental Beast screamed and twisted, raising one clawed front leg and lashing out, releasing another burst of fire at the machine's head. The Ninja twisted aside and hid behind the flames, using their cover to get airborne and drop on the enemy from above. The Elemental Beast rolled away, the Zord's left arm, the Elemental Beast changed direction and rolled over, closer to the lake, before rearing up on its hind legs. The Rangers took the challenge and ploughed the Ninja right into its foe. The two fell, scrabbling wildly, the Elemental Beast's jaws snapping. The Rangers was crafty however and continued with their original plan, rolling and propelling Zord and beast towards the lake, taking many injuries in doing so, but generally ensuring the machine gave as good as it got.

Finally both regained their footing, sensing the other was about to fly, Tommy shifted his controls and the Zord raised its wings to block the escape. The Elemental Beast unleashed a barrage of flame causing the Rangers inside to recoil from the scorching heat. The machine raised a little, kicking out with both front feet. The Power Sword was once again ready for use, lightning lashed down as it was attracted to the blade, the Elemental Beast screamed as the energy reflected off the weapon and onto its body. The Zord slammed back down only to be met with a snarling face full of fire and teeth. Kat pulled on her control stick and the machine rolled its head almost lazily aside, then struck back with incredible speed.

Using the claws on its arms, the Zord stabbed at the Elemental Beast's wings, grounding the beast. With a sharp twist the wing was broken and tossed aside. The Rangers pressed their advantage, driving the machine forward against its astonished foe as the other howled in pain. Using its head the machine rammed its enemy, the sharp edges formed by the Crane's wings drawing yet more blood. The Elemental Beast tried to counter with its frothing jaws, but was again countered as the struggle continued. They carried on lashing out until, with an agile twist, the Zord turned around and struck out with one of its powerful legs, catching the other full in the face and sending the Elemental Beast rolling into the lake.

The Elemental Beast writhed and screamed in agony as water was vaporised around it. The Ninja jumped, landing on the Elemental Beast, sinking it down underwater. But the Elemental Beast was not done; it gripped the Zord and dragged it under as it continued to evaporate the water. The heat of the beast was too much for the water and the lake boiled away. Meanwhile the beast ripped at any part of the Zord it could reach, desperately trying to breach the cockpit and drown the Rangers trapped inside.

But the Zord was not yet out. While Adam and Rocky worked to protect the head from damage, Tanya had drawn the legs back into the ready position. Then as the Ninja's arms closed around the Elemental Beast's back, she released the tension and the Zord was propelled into the air. The water left behind was covered with a red skin as the Zord continued to soar upward, driving the steaming Elemental Beast into the sky. The battered wings were fully deployed as the machine continued to soar upwards. The beast struggled to break free as the Zord stopped moving and just hovered. At first the Elemental Beast struggled more than ever, but the Zord had carried it into orbit where without Oxygen to fuel its flames, the fire Elemental Beast started to freeze. Its fire like state extinguished, al that was left was a smoking husk. With a sharp kick the Zord sent the Elemental Beast back into the lake where it cooled and Zordon could dispose of it.

The Zord shakily returned to its original place over the city. It had been battered, but from the way it defiantly banged its chest it was clear it was far from finished. One Elemental Beast down. Three to go.

Suddenly another small flying shape appeared over the western horizon, from its silver-pale grey colour, and that it seemed partially transparent it was an air Elemental Beast. The Zord let out loud roaring and very electronic battle cry. It was a sound that reminded the Rangers that even though they had won the first round, their job was far from over.

* * *

Air, dragon like in appearance, semi-transparent, burning silver eyes, it appeared to be filled with mist. The sun had retreated behind grey clouds probably called up by Rita as a means of unsettling the Rangers and disturbing their Zord's power source. Of course since the Rangers were piloting Zords that lacked the sophisticated solar cells of their predecessors and had to rely on energy transmitted via their Gem Coins, the sudden change in the weather was merely a warning of the storm to come; the clouds were turning dark on the horizon. Its colour made the Elemental Beast blend with the sky.

The Ninja took flight, air was much more agile than fire. The creature looped around the machine him and flew up, the Zord stayed steady, the Rangers sensing that the other would dive, it did. The mecha rolled to one side just in time and lashed out with its legs while performing a backwards somersault in the air, the sharpened edges of its feet cutting up the inside of the Elemental Beast's front legs. Fog-like blood spewed out, the Ninja righted itself and the two collided, fierce punches from the Zord against the snapping and slashing teeth of the Elemental Beast. With all five Rangers working together, the Zord got a grip on the Elemental Beast's nose, holding its jaws shut.

Even as Adam and Rocky struggled to maintain their hold, Tanya was working on the legs. With Tommy keeping the wings in the right position to maintain their height, she drew the legs up so that the might Zord was curled into a ball. Then as the Elemental Beast was released, the machine thrust its left leg into the beast's front. The Elemental Beast recoiled, but showed little damage for all Tanya's effort.

The Elemental Beast's jaw muscles strained as it tried to pierce the Zord's armour. Finally, it let go and twisted about, striking out with its tail as it rolled away. The Elemental Beast's teeth cut a great slash across the machine's lower back. Like a cat, its left front claws lashed out at the heels of the Ninja, tearing thin strips of alloy from the machine. The two disengaged and floated apart, then the Elemental Beast bent its head around and unleashed a blast of compressed air, slicing through the machine's already damaged wing.

This time it was the Ninja that recoiled, the Rangers blinded as the Elemental Beast thickened the air around the Zord to blind them. Its claws, teeth and tail battered the Ninja as the Rangers made the machine lash out blindly with its fists. Finally, Kat managed to counteract the fog and for a brief time they enjoyed an advantage. The Zord twisted away and dropped below the fog as the Elemental Beast, thinking its prey was blinded by the fog, dove in. The two clashed, the Elemental Beast's teeth tearing down the back of on the machine's neck, its tail flicked up and thwacked the Zord along the side.

* * *

In the Angel Grove Youth Center, attention was focussed on Ernie's small television. The bar area was crowded with children and adults wanting to see their heroes in action. Ernie was unsure whom he admired more, the Power Rangers for fighting such hideous creatures under conditions that were not in their favour, or the lone news reporter who was filming most of the battle. Most of the fight was filmed at long range and in some cases the battle was too far away to be seen.

"They're doing well," one of the police officers assigned to protecting the building commented.

"Oh, that had to hurt," another said as the Elemental Beast scraped its claws across the Zord's shoulder, leaving three deep parallel gashes in the layered armour. The extra protection that had been placed on the shoulder was gone.

The Ninja struggled to recover, locking its hands around the Elemental Beast's neck. With a sudden force it started to shake the monster vigorously, tearing at the skin, and slicing one of its cheeks open and the side of its head just behind the ear. The claws from the Crane ripped at the other's side. The Elemental Beast couldn't twist its front far enough to fight back, but it back legs kicked in, cutting the machine's mid-section. It left some long scratches, but couldn't curl up far enough to do real damage.

_"And once more it appears that the Power Rangers are on the attack, their opponent's temporary advantage eliminated through skilful operation of their mighty robot. At this moment it appears- yes, the Rangers have drawn blood. They're going for the swift victory. Here comes that sword again. Oh my god! The Rangers' machinery is on fire, I repeat the Rangers have been engulfed in flames." _

* * *

Golden flames burned everywhere, they couldn't see, and instinct alone guided them in this wild fight, the lives of every other living creature was held firmly in the balance. Only the slight tilt of the cockpit from the pressure behind the flames, told them where their enemy had been. Even so, their strikes were less than graceful as they moved around. Lubricant poured from a great gash on the inside of the lower left leg. The flammable fluid only intensified the fire that threatened them.

Adam screamed in pain, his minute link to the Frog Zord feeding back into his mind. The others were not doing much better; they felt as if the intense heat was burning them even though the cockpit was normal temperature. Rocky was grimacing from the shoulder wound and Tommy had been coping with the pain since the Elemental Beast had ripped the Falcon Zord's wing.

"Controls are not responding!" Tanya warned.

"Hold on guys we're going down!"

The Zord plummeted as the need to extinguish the fire drew resources away from other equally important functions such as staying in the air. The Zord smashed into the top of an abandoned warehouse, demolishing two neighbouring buildings as it skidded along the ground. The falling metal helped to dampen down the flames while the Ninja flailed aimlessly in an attempt to regain control. Finally it grabbed hold of one of the cranes that were used for moving heavy containers, ripping it from its moorings, yet providing enough friction to halt the Zord's movement.

Overhead the Rangers could see the Elemental Beast circling them, but there was little they could do from their prone position. It opened its mouth and blasted the crippled machine with a blast of compressed air, aiming not only at the Zord, but the surrounding area as well. Pieces of buildings and crates that had not been secured properly were rammed into the robotic body, denting the armour. A second blast hit a concrete chimneystack ad brought it crashing down on the Zord's exposed back, furthering the damage already caused to the Falcon Zord.

Inside the Ninja it was Tommy's turn to scream in agony as Kat implored Zordon to deactivate the feedback system. She knew that to do so would mean they were out of synch with their machines, but had the wisdom to understand that that particular tool was being used against them. With the feedback problem removed the Rangers had only to wait for the computer to return control to them. Adam was already working to make sure that they would not have a similar problem again.

The Elemental Beast released several smaller blasts of air, piercing the parts it had already damaged and widening the open gashes. The stress threatened to tear the Zord apart, rips evident in the damaged leg now mangled and barely moveable. More blasts followed causing even more damage, the machine attempting to stand and failing each time.

"Can we separate?" Tommy asked.

If they could disengage the Zords, they at least stood a chance of surviving while repairs were made. From the damage they sustained, he suspected that only the Crane would be in good condition with the Wolf as a possibility. The Ape and Frog had been damaged severely during the battle, and the Falcon would not be able to fly. If they were lucky though the Bear would still be operational. It had taken a fair few knocks, but was also had the hardest shell.

"Rangers if you separate the Zords there is a good chance you will not be able to combine them again," Alpha warned.

"We need time to get the Ninja up and running again," Kat sent back.

Unfortunately the Elemental Beast did not want to give them the time they needed. It swooped down again, its claws digging into the machine's armour, shredding some of the servomechanisms as it did so. Its wings flapped and the Ninja was lifted into the air, dangling precariously from the claws that were slowly slicing through its alloy skin.

* * *

"Oh no, Rangers!" Alpha whined as he watched the battle on the Viewing Globe. "We need to help them, Zordon."

"I agree, Alpha," Zordon boomed as he monitored the abnormal fluctuations in the Zord's power core. "Prepare Titanos to help them and reconfigure the Ninja to compensate for any damage when it becomes the Gem Coin Ultrazord."

"But there is not enough power left for them to combine."

Zordon paused, wondering whether to take the risk he was considering. Then again, he didn't have a choice.

"Billy, deactivate the Grid Warrior apparatus and install the coins to augment the Gem Coin powers. I fear we must risk losing everything if the Rangers are to survive this encounter. It could be the Rangers' only hope."

* * *

The Elemental Beast continued to fly, dragging the helpless Ninja along behind. While Tanya and Adam tried to repair some of the internal damage, the others worked on a way to break free. Kat was rerouting their vision so that at least they could see their opponent. When she was successful, the screen cleared and they were able to work on an escape plan.

"There... to the left," Rocky snapped.

The Ninja twisted in a way it should not have been able to move, sacrificing sections of its armour in order to break free from the beast's grip. The Elemental Beast battered the machine with its wings, but the Zord dropped back towards the ground, gaining the Rangers some time to recover.

"Rangers, stand by for a boost."

"Power cells are open," Tanya reported.

Power surged through the almost empty machine, recharging the robot and jump-starting the repair systems. Taking advantage of the lull in the battle, the Rangers adjusted the Megazord to meet their needs. The claws from the Crane Zord slotted into place on the giant robot's feet. The Wolf's legs, until now restrained against the body, were released, the power converting them into wrist mounted blades on the right hand. The Falcon Zord's talons reappeared on the Ninja's left hand. Finally, the face of the Zord extended outwards, providing a buffer zone between the face and the cockpit. The shape now resembled that of the bird and helped to give the Zord a more ominous appearance.

The Elemental Beast attacked again, but the Rangers were ready. The Ninja raised its weapons as the beast moved in, ripping and tearing its side, then rolled away before the dragon could retaliate. It tried a second time with almost the same result, except for the horrible smell as the dragon's fangs sank into the robot's back. The blades on the Zord's arm reversed as it drove its elbow into the beast, slicing it across the tops of the legs. Energy arced across the blade, exploding on the side of the dragon, which could not duck swiftly enough.

The ground was close again; neither side had been paying attention to where they were until it was almost too late. The Rangers recovered and direct the Ninja to land. They were eager to keep the battle on the ground if at all possible. The Zord pounced at its opponent, claws and talons groping at the beast, drawing more blood. The Zord seemed to be fighting on its own as it blows connected every time. The Elemental Beast was on the ropes as the Zord gouged its eyes with the talons on its left hand.

Claws raked the machine's side, proving to the Rangers that the fight was not yet over. The robot twisted away from the assault and smacked the other a heavy blow to the head with a wing.

The Elemental Beast was learning, it used its wings now to bash the Ninja about, the machine retaliated by ripping a long tear in one wing and cutting open the side of the Elemental Beast's neck. The air Elemental Beast used its powers to block off the flow of air around the machine, attempting to crush it with the extreme pressure. Under other circumstances that would have spelt the end of the battle, but the Rangers of Earth were lucky to have friends in the Power Chamber ready to help them.

The Earth's Fire descended from its orbit onto the Elemental Beast. The creature had not been paying attention and failed to spot the falling spacecraft until it was too late. With the distraction in place the Rangers countered the blockage around their Zord while the Earth's Fire slammed repeatedly into the Elemental Beast, battering its already damaged body. The beast screeched as the craft turned and blasted it with its thrusters. The Elemental Beast recoiled, but was not yet defeated.

With a sudden and decisive thrust the Elemental Beast attacked the Earth's Fire. The assault was swift, aggressive and final. When it was finished the spacecraft fell from the sky, crashing into the city before exploding.

The Ninja finally broke through the air block and sliced a huge rip along the Elemental Beast's shoulder. In return the Elemental Beast clawed at the base of the machine's throat, narrowly missing the control systems.

"Time to put an end to this," Tommy said.

The Zord had been battered, bitten, clawed, squeezed and set on fire, but it was still standing. Inside the Rangers were tired, but otherwise unharmed. They summoned the power Sword and this time energised it to make the final blow.

* * *

Angel Grove

On televisions around the world people watched the battle over Angel Grove. They watched as the Zord battled with the dying Elemental Beast. The fuel leaks had ceased and although battered it was clear that the machine was the stronger of the two combatants. Normally a Megazord would only need to take on one opponent and when faced with multiple enemies they were often weaker. But today the Rangers were being pushed to their limits. They all gasped as the Zord twisted in a way it shouldn't be able to and kicked the Elemental Beast, delivering a hard blow to the neck, it turned and raked its talons down the Elemental Beast's face and jabbed the beast's neck with its fists. The crunch of breaking bone was audible as the Elemental Beast, severely wounded, retreated, blood spouting from its mangled neck. The Rangers were not done though as they somersaulted over the Elemental Beast and with a fully energised Power Sword, it leaned down and sliced off the Elemental Beast's head.

The Megazord staggered away, eventually landing in front of a chemical plant as the Rangers tried to fix the damage it had suffered before their next battle.

Overnight and well into the next day the cameras remained focussed on the chemical plant where a battered Ninja had set down for repairs. The all clear had yet to sound, so the citizens were required to spend the night in the monster shelters. Although an effort had been made to reunite families, there still some parents who were unsure if their children were safe. The head and shoulders of the mighty Zord loomed over the rooftops, reassuring those it protected that the Power Rangers were still there to watch over them. Even so, the long wait for the next attack was starting to cause tempers to fray.

The camera crews tried repeatedly to zoom in on the Ninja, but each time they did so something jammed their signal. The newscasters assumed it was to protect the Rangers' identities. In fact it was to prevent panic when the true state of the Ninja was revealed.

The Rangers and their allies had had to work long into the night to prevent the machine from crashing to the ground. Its damaged leg could not take any weight and they had been forced to use scaffolding and winches to hold the Zord upright while Adam and Trini tried to repair some of the internal damage. Kimberly, Aisha and Kat had set about wielding heavy plates of metal to some of the worst hit areas, while Tommy, Zack and Rocky were busy blasting small holes in the wings. Jason was acting as coordinator between the different teams of workers and Billy was running circuit by circuit tests of the machine's vital components; Sam and David were helping Alpha to sure up the energy feed.

"I hope Billy knows what he is doing. I thought we were meant to be repairing the Zord," Rocky complained as he followed his leader's instructions.

"We are," Tommy explained. He pointed to one of the more obvious tears in the wing. "We need to take the stress off the metal or these cuts will grow larger. If we put a hole at the ends of each crack, we can relieve the tension and then repair the damage without stressing the break."

"Where did you learn that?" Rocky asked.

"My uncle's a race driver," Tommy said. "When I used to stay with him, I would spend the race in the Pit with his mechanic. He used to use this technique on his saw blades so they would last longer. Hey, what's that?"

Tommy pointed to a green growth along the edge of the Zord's wing. It was bubbling away on the metallic skin, the occasional puff of smoke erupting from one of the bubbles.

"I think it was blood," Rocky said, remembering how the blood had sprayed out of the severed neck of the air Elemental Beast, before it had fallen to the ground. "Oh no, look at the Power Sword!"

Sure enough the sword was covered with the same substance. As it continued to bubble, a chunk of the blade fell away.

"Jason, the blood is corrosive, we need to clean it off," Tommy warned.

It had been two o'clock in the morning before the Rangers were finished. They had cleaned and neutralised all the blood they could find, but there had still been damage. In the end they had had to cut away the damaged section of wing to ensure the corrosion did not spread. That along with the damaged leg, which they had only been able to partially restore, left the Rangers lacking mobility either on land or in the air.

The next morning they were back at the site to continue work. Time was against them, they could tell. Soon the next Elemental Beast would arrive and when it did they would have to battle in a partially working Ninja and without the Earth's Fire to provide a distraction. The scaffolding had been removed after the teenagers spent the better part of their morning replacing the shattered support structure.

In truth the Zord was now as ready as it would ever be for the upcoming attack. When the battle was over, they would need to spend considerable amounts of time repairing the individual machines, although in the case of at least one Zord, it would be easier to rebuild from scratch.

"Let's get back to the Power Chamber," Tommy said at last.

In a flicker of light they vanished, unaware that away from Angel Grove the people of the Earth were facing a battle just as deadly as the Elemental Beasts. Minion's forces had finally attacked in force and the world's armed forces seemed unable to stop them.

* * *

It was a mess, but as it stood defiantly under its own power, the Ninja was a symbol to the world in its time of need. Two Elemental Beasts had fallen and the Rangers were hopeful that their luck would continue to hold. While Adam and Tanya had spent the past hour patching as much of the Zord's armour as they could manage, Tommy, Rocky and Kat had been busy making other preparations. The Earth's Fire had proven that it was useful to have a surprise ready just in case. So it was that Kat had teleported to the crash site to try and salvage anything useful while Tommy and Rocky had taken a room-by-room search of Power Mountain for anything they could use.

In the end it had been Zack who had had the best idea, requiring Billy and Trini to work on a means of combining the teleport system with the old Zeo launch system.

Adam sighed as he realised the Zord's optic sensors would not improve despite his attempts to adjust them. The damage caused by the Fire Elemental Beast had at some point overloaded the light-sensitive sensors used to give a clearer image. There wasn't time to replace them at the moment. The eyes were one of the more complicated circuits in the Ninja's control systems; to remove them would render the machine useless in battle. Instead he moved to the central controls where Tommy was supposed to sit and initiated the power-up sequence. It would be just their luck that the damage caused by the Elemental Beasts had damaged some vital but unnoticed component that prevented them from using the machine in combat. Fortunately that was not the case.

The Zords changed position, no longer lifeless but now alert and radiating powers as its head moved slowly from side to side, searching for a threat. Adam hit a second control and there was a mechanical whirl as the claws mounted on the feet and arms retracted briefly before reappearing. That was a self-sharpening mechanism used to keep the weapon keen and reliable.

Inside the Power Chamber, White Master and mentor to the Rangers of Earth watched the Viewing Globe. The Ninja had surprised him when after the battering it had taken it continued to stand ready for the next fight. Yet he wondered if that was due to a small miracle or perhaps the determination of the Rangers themselves.

"Amazing isn't it?" he asked. "After all they've been through, they still try to protect their city. They are truly heroes. The ancient Morphin Masters would have been proud to know them."

"Do you think Minion will send the remaining Elemental Beasts?" Alpha asked. Zordon nodded solemnly.

"Yes. He will not miss such an opportunity. Unfortunately for now all we can do, is watch," Zordon told him.

There was an uncomfortable silence until the alarm sounded.

"Ai-yi-yi, here we go again," Alpha warned.

The Rangers had sensed that something was about to happen and had teleported back to the Zord. Already they were bringing their stations online and actively scanning for the next attack. The Zord's eyes shone brightly as abruptly it moved to a crouching position ready to leap into action. A mechanical screech left the unified Zord, no doubt Billy's attempt at a method of intimidation. Whether it worked or not was unknown as the Rangers didn't have time to look at the results.

On the horizon the blackening clouds seemed to stir in answer and the breeze grew, whipping at the Ninja's defiant form.

"Look!"

Zordon looked at the point of the Viewing Globe where Alpha was pointing. In the distance they could see the blue outline of another Elemental Beast.

"Water," Zordon murmured, the Ninja seemed to sense its foe's presence for it turned to it and rose to its feet. Inside the Rangers worked as a team to make the Zord appear more like an animal than a machine. Slowly the growl grew in volume until the buildings nearby shook from the vibrations, then the gigantic wings shot up and unfolded, the song became a deafening battle roar that could be heard throughout the city and out across the harbour. The pitch made everyone flinch away and cover their ears. Then it ceased as the machine took flight, racing to meet the Water Elemental Beast.

The Prototype Ninja Zords had been programmed to act like the original Ninja Zords, but in reality their only link to the Morphin Grid was through their power generators. They were not endowed with the spirits of the animal they represented and despite the small similarities to the original Zords they were just simple machines. So it shocked the Rangers when the Zord seemed to act on its own. Of course it had protocols loaded to override user control in order to prevent its own destruction, but the way it moved was so natural. They didn't mention it to each other, but did make a note to talk to Zordon if they survived.

The Water Elemental Beast opened its mouth and let loose a huge gush of water, with such force that it nearly knocked the Zord over. Steam rose from a small gash where the water had struck; at the correct temperature and pressure, water could slice almost any material. Inside the Zord the Rangers were feeding their energy into the machine while trying to keep it from falling over. As they did so they started to feel the connection they had once had with the real Ninja Zords return. Rangers and machine became one, the Zord seeming to act before they could move the controls, acting like a warrior instead of a weapon.

With a shake of its head the Zord recovered and lashed out with its right arm. Flames shot from the claws on its wrists. The Elemental Beast screamed in pain as the heat boiled away parts of its body. Soaked the two collided with each other amidst huge spouts of water and fire which turned to steam. The Elemental Beast wasted no time in grinding its teeth into the joint where the Falcon component connected to the Bear, trying to sever the connection between body and wings.

The Zord roared without Tommy touching the controls. It twisted as one of the arms replaced its hand with a pair of snapping wolf jaws and raked its teeth along the other's wing and back. Claws flashed silver and pale blue; golden blood ran from the Elemental Beast, burning the Zord as the spores it contained reacted to the metal. The Zord recoiled as Rocky summoned what was left of the Power Sword. The two separated, lightning flashed down, the Elemental Beast dodged and charged while the Zord remained still and allowed the discharge to run to ground.

Kat adjusted the Zord's profile, folding the wings into a streamlined position, the two behemoths sped towards each other, at the last second water began to turn aside so it could tear its enemy's back as it passed; Tanya moved the legs back so that the chest of the Ninja was outstretched, then took control of the Bear so that its teeth traced long gaping wounds along the other's belly. The Elemental Beast responded with a flick of its tail, breaking the Zord's grip and pour gallons of water against the damaged machine's armour.

They rolled away from each other and landed. The Zord resumed its stance in the city. Already Adam was in the engine room trying to repair the damage they had taken. A normal Zord would never have taken the abuse the Elemental Beasts had dished out, yet surprisingly the Ninja was still intact. There was little he could do though until the power generators had dried out. The water the Elemental Beast had pumped into the Zord had shorted out some of the circuitry and flooded the legs. With a sigh he drew his sidearm and blasted the base of the machine's legs, watching as the water drained away leaving yet more damage in its wake.

The Elemental Beast charged and they crashed together. Claws raked at each other, the Elemental Beast got a grip on the Zord's neck and shoulder and threw it down before it attempted to rip the robot apart. Rocky diverted some of the Zord's damaged fuel cells into the Bear's mouth and ejected them. A spark from the Power Sword ignited the volatile fluids resulting in a fireball that swept straight into the Elemental Beast's face.

Amid screaming roars they tangled again, locking jaws, claws scrabbling for purchase. The battle had moved into an old quarry away from the city where the Rangers could fight without fear of damaging property. The Elemental Beast had already blasted the area with water, turning some of the softer soil into muddy ground. The Zord used great sweeps of its wing to lend it extra force and pushed the Elemental Beast back a few steps.

The Elemental Beast abruptly dropped lower, as the machine's claws sank into its shoulders it came up from below and almost succeeded in ripping the Zord's head from its shoulder. A jet of water cut through a portion of the neck; only by shielding the area with its sword were the Rangers able to prevent serious damage. In disgust Rocky released the grip on the sword and watched it sink into the mud.

Suddenly confident the Elemental Beast attacked, pounding the Zord on the back until the robot could no longer stand. But Tanya had already planned for such an occurrence and using the powerful mechanisms housed in the Ninja's legs, launched the machine head first like a battering ram. It was a good move and knocked the Elemental Beast off balance, but lacked the force it would have had if the legs had not suffered such severe damage earlier. The joints groaned as the Zord touched down, its design pushed to the limits. The Water Elemental Beast had already recovered and delivered its own head butt, shattering the Zord's left knee. A combination of Kat's skill and Tanya's legwork allowed the Zord to perform an amazing twist as it fell and it landed feet down towards the ground.

"Jason, now!" Tommy ordered.

Back at the Power Chamber, the cannon that had been used for launching the Zeo Zords moved into firing position. The Grid Warriors had loaded it with as much junk as they could find in the Angel Grove Scrap Yard. With Billy working the cannon and Trini teleporting more and more junk into the firing tube, they had created a formidable weapon.

At Tommy's command it fired, releasing its arsenal toward the battleground, covering both the Zord and the Elemental Beast with shrapnel. A mushroom cloud of dust formed over the area, as the Rangers were teleported away from their machine as it and the Elemental Beast were bombarded with junk.

Both survived the onslaught although neither could be described as a pretty sight. The Elemental Beast was bleeding from gashes that ran the length of its body while the Ninja's left arm had been ripped open and new gashes had appeared in its wings.

They took to the sky again, fiercely using everything they had to tear each other apart, neither able to fly straight due to the damage they had suffered. The Elemental Beast let loose another blast of water, but the Zord was operating on automatic and had one purpose: the destruction of its opponent. As the Rangers watched helplessly from the Power Chamber, it threw it arms around the Elemental Beast and headed back towards the city.

The Elemental Beast lashed at the machine with the barbed end of its tail, but the Zord held fast. Then it plummeted towards an electrical substation. As they crashed the machine slashed at the Elemental Beast, causing it to unleash another burst of water. Both combatants were electrocuted, the Elemental Beast barely recognisable when it eventually pulled free. The Rangers used the opportunity to regain control of their Zord as its computer was fried by the unauthorised action.

From the distance the Rangers could feel the approach of their last hope against the Elemental Beast. A lumbering hulk of metal intended to resemble the mighty Titanus, one time Carrier Zord of the Power Rangers. They had dubbed it Titanos and it was only the slight difference in the pronunciation of its name that allowed them to tell the difference between the original Zord and the replica it had taken so much time to build; Titanos had been built to interface exclusively with the Ninja and unlike Titanus, it did not suffer from poorly fitting connectors.

The sound of energy weapons broke through the Elemental Beast's screams of pain as the prototype Carrier Zord unleashed a barrage at the creature. Without delay Tommy pushed the sequence of buttons needed to untie the two Zords together to form the Ultrazord. Now the Elemental Beast faced them on three legs while the Ultrazord seemed to tower over it. A blast from the Zord knocked the Elemental Beast thirty feet through the air before it hit land again; great wounds gaped in its side. It roared as the Zord moved to a new position and attacked the machine, cutting up its shoulder and side as the weapons recharged for another attack. Suddenly the Ninja detached from its housing and drove its arm claws into the Elemental Beast's stomach.

The Elemental Beast got to its feet, screaming in pain, made the machine breath fire again and again onto it. The beast tried to counter with water, but to no avail. Titanos fired. Its weapons hit the Elemental Beast's wing, tail and eyes, blinding it. Blind, badly burned, with one broken leg and with its guts hanging out the Elemental Beast gave one last try even as it started to die. It leaped and the Rangers were ejected from the Zord since they had been unprepared for the movement. They fell heavily. Once again the Zord somehow managed to take control, this time a fierce animal rage surfaced. With nothing to hold it back, the fighting power leaped forth and before the Elemental Beast even knew what was happening, the Zord had torn it to shreds.

Now two Elemental Beasts lay dead on the ground, and one in the evaporated site that had once been Angel Grove Lake. The sun's rays in the afternoon were starting to turn deep orange. In a half hour they would be red. The Ninja swayed for a moment, then powered down. That meant three Elemental Beasts down, and one to go. But this time the cost had been high. The Rangers had had to use all the tricks they could find to defeat the Water Elemental Beast and they had barely managed to emerge victorious. Now they had no surprises left for the remaining Elemental Beasts and the Ninja was in such a state they doubted it would last much longer.

Day turned to night, but as the city slept its heroes were busy ensuring that the next battle would not be their last.

* * *

Minion had watched the battle between the Elemental Beasts and the Rangers with interest. All out war would have been a better to describe the carnage that had been caused so far. Serpenterra was ready and waiting to launch, standing by to destroy whatever remained once the battle had ended. There was no doubt in his mind that a few blasts would destroy an Elemental Beast and smelt a Zord with ease. He had already dissected one of the five surviving beasts to make sure of it.

Better still, his source inside the Ranger camp, his ace in the hole, had revealed that the Rangers' powers came from their Power Chamber. Destroying the mountainside headquarters would rob them of their Zords, their powers and any assistance that Zordon might have offered them.

He glanced at Silvo and Brasso, wondering when they had gotten back from their latest task; after their success with isolating the known trouble spots where the likes of the Masked Rider, Beetleborgs and the VR Troopers could be found, he had sent his favoured henchmen to strike at military installations around the world. Bronzo had been dispatched to Crystal to pick up a special guest, one whose appearance would place some of his plans in jeopardy.

"By the end of tomorrow either the Rangers or the Elemental Beasts will have met their end. Then will come the time of Serpenterra and Minion."

* * *

The next day the sun had reached its highest point when the Earth Elemental emerged on the scenes. Brown in colour, its body looked as if it were made up from pieces of stone that had been forced together. In fact had it not been for the bright blue eyes that burned under the thick slab it had for a forehead, it would have been difficult to imagine this creature was alive. It seemed to fly towards the previously assembled Ultrazord and land its first blow before the Rangers could react. The machines had taken a beating in their battles with the three previous Elementals and as a result were slow to react.

The first punch from the creature's enormous fist snapped the Ultrazord's head back so far that the head was almost ripped from the body. The Rangers struggled to maintain control, but as the cockpit continued to spark and more and more systems failed, the Elemental landed two more blows. With a sudden burst of strength it ripped the Ninja free of its mountings. Then, after tossing the gestalt away like a piece of garbage, the Elemental turned its attention to Titanos.

Titanos was big by Zord standards, equipped with heavy weapons that would make Tor or the original Titanus jealous. But the weaponry like everything else on the prototype Zords had lower safety limits than the real thing. As its twin cannons ripped into the Elemental, the warning gauges were slowly rising. The weapons glowed red as they started to overheat and a high-pitched squeal could be heard from the generator housing. Smoke poured from the control circuits and still the machine fired. Its mouth opened and grasped the Elemental's leg, preventing the monstrous being from backing away. The squeal grew louder and then the weapons exploded.

The Elemental was caught in the blast that spelled the end of Titanos. The Carrier Zord was shredded as its own weapons tore it apart. The neck unit of the Zord was ripped free as the Elemental soared into the air again. The jaws, still clamped firmly to the Elemental's leg dropped to the ground, its eyes flashing once before turning dark.

Then the Elemental turned its attention to the Ninja, which had stopped moving the moment it had landed. The damage to the neck prevented commands from the battered head reaching the body as the Rangers tried desperately to restore some semblance of control. After leaving Rocky and Kat in the cockpit, Tanya, Tommy and Adam had moved to the auxiliary control room, where they hoped to take control. But their time had run out as the Elemental loomed over them and lifted the fallen machine from the ground. The Zord was held in the air, dangling from the Elemental's claw by its damaged neck. The Elemental lashed out with another of its mighty fist blows. The sharp rock pieces that acted as knuckles smashed into the left shoulder, sending the machine hurtling backwards again.

The Rangers tried to adjust the wings even as the Zord was cartwheeling through the center of Angel Grove. When it stopped spinning, it continued to scrape along the street until it finally came to a rest. A blast of high-pressure sand ripped across its lower body, stripping the previously damaged leg away and burying the mecha. The Elemental moved forward, sharp teeth ready to slice through the metal frame. It struck at the lower body once more, gripping the Zord in its teeth and jerking its head from side to side like a dog would shake a rabbit.

With only a thin piece of metal to show where one leg had been, and the other leg crumpled beyond recognition, it was lucky that the Rangers were finally able to get the remains of the Ninja airborne. The head was still hanging at an impossible angle, but control had been restored from the chest area.

Even so the Rangers knew it was only a matter of time before their Zords were destroyed. During the battle their Gem Coins had been feeding the machine with a constant supply of additional energy, which was the only reason the Zord was still intact after receiving a beating a fully power Megazord would have difficulty withstanding. The odds of surviving the encounter were growing slimmer by the minute. They had already used all the tricks they could find, but the battle was taking its toll.

"Jettison Frog and Crane," Tommy ordered.

"But Tommy," Kat started to protest. She stopped, not willing to question her leader in the middle of a battle.

Adam and Kat touched their Gem Coins and severed the union between the Frog and Crane components, and the rest of the Ninja. Both Zords were teleported back to the Power Chamber for emergency repairs. With the damaged Zords removed the power drain was reduced, allowing the Rangers to concentrate their energies on the battle.

With outstretched arms the Zord started to spin like a top, its claws slashing at the Elemental. One claw gained purchase on the underside of the beast's forehead and as a result ripped a chunk of stone free. Black mud seeped from the wound giving the impression that the Elemental was bleeding. The Zord continued to spin as Tommy guided it lower to strike the Elemental in the chest and legs. The Elemental groped at the machine, trying to stop its movement. Finally it caught the left arm and used it to fling the Zord into the First Angel Bank.

Before the machine could move again the Elemental had pounced. Its hands ripped into the Wolf's carcass and tried to wrench it loose from its junction. The wolf seemed to whimper before the Elemental gave up and moved onto the next target. The next fist tore into the main body and cracked the metallic skin open. The Falcon Zord detached as the Ape reverted to its normal form and attacked with its swords.

The Bear charged at the Elemental with Tanya firmly in control. It stood on its hind legs and used its front paws to bat the Elemental around the head. Then its front legs descended, causing the street to shake from the impact before it fired its eye beams at the Elemental's chest. The Elemental turned away and kicked the Zord with its powerful foot.

"Crane and Frog returning to battle," Billy announced.

The Elemental flew into the sky to meet the smaller Crane. According to the details that Zordon had revealed, the Earth Elemental should not have been able to fly. At first Kat thought perhaps Minion had altered it in some way to allow it flight capabilities, but quickly realised that that was not the case. The Elemental wasn't flying; it was leaping and using its powerful legs to stay in the air for a period of time. The Crane was smaller than the Elemental, but with Kat at the controls it was agile enough to avoid it. Using the Zord's claws and beak, Kat was able to draw the beast away from the city, giving Tommy time to bring the Falcon Zord online once more.

The Falcon Zord was in poor shape following the Ninja's battle with the Elemental. Large sections of its wings had been destroyed either by the fighting, the landing, the corrosive blood of the Fire Elemental, or Tommy's attempts to prevent further damage by shooting holes into the metallic frame. The forcefield generators had been reconfigured to hug close to the hull and as a result gave the Zord the aerodynamic wings it needed. Unfortunately all the protective cushioning of the forcefield was diminished because it was too close to the metal body. Tommy pushed his Gem Coin into the activation slot and crossed his fingers as the Zord lifted into the sky.

"Billy, we need a distraction," Zeo Falcon.

"What kind of distraction?" Zack asked.

Tommy considered. "Just get it to look the other way so we can reform the Megazord."

Luckily Zack and Billy didn't need to worry. A distraction had just arrived.

"Fox Leader, you may fire at will," the voice of some faceless radio operator reported.

Norman Thomas acknowledged the message and fired his twin missiles at the Earth Elemental. The weapons barely attracted its attention as it tore through the city. A jet of sand ripped his wing and forced him to eject while the rest of his squadron engaged. He never made it to the ground.

"Teleporting your Zords to a new location," Billy told them. "Then you can reform the Ninja and attack."

* * *

Now was the time, the Rangers had retreated and all but one Elemental Beast had been destroyed. Minion activated the engines and powered up the main weapon as Serpenterra took to the air.

The Elemental had stopped attacking the planes and seemed to look beyond them towards the sun. A faint snarl left it as it reared up and pounded its chest in a show of respect. But whatever it was that was heading towards the planet didn't care about victory cries. A shape emerged as it flew closer and started to cast a shadow over the area. It was enormous, far larger than the Earth Elemental. It opened its mouth and a ball of plasma engulfed the area. The flash knocked out the news cameras as the earthquake flattened the surrounding buildings. Then the flames died back as it ran out of fuel and the Earth Elemental was gone, reduced to ashes in the intense heat. Serpenterra let out a cry of challenge and fired another plasma ball.

* * *

Power Chamber

"What happened to it?" Tanya asked as the Viewing Globe cleared.

Zordon had ordered the Gem Coin Rangers to return after he had witnessed the decimation of the square mile surrounding the Earth Elemental. It now resembled a scene from a science fiction movie. The area had been incinerated by the blast, leaving behind ash, smoke and a few areas that had not been demolished. Small sections of wall could still be seen in places, the charred remains of a telephone directory blew along what had once been a sidewalk. Aside from a few McDonalds products that were as indestructible as they were uneatable.

The Viewing Globe changed angle so that Zordon's orbital satellites could focus upon the city. There something floated, blocking the camera from revealing the full devastation below. Trini adjusted the controls as Alpha searched for a better picture. They shared a gasp of horror as the image finally filled the Viewing Globe.

"What is that?" Kat asked.

"Serpenterra?" Jason answered gravely, exchanging a look of shocked horror with some of the others.

The monstrous machine that had in the space of a few minutes wiped out the Elemental and the area surrounding it was not the machine they remembered. For a start it was still moving where during their previous encounters it had stopped after blasting something. Secondly it looked larger than it had been when Tommy had first seen it during the quest for the Sword of Light.

"Aw man, that is one UGLY Zord," he remarked.

"That's a Zord?" Kat asked. "I thought only Rangers had Zords."

"Normally yes," Tommy answered. "But Goldar had Cyclopsis, his War Zord, and I bet there are others out there."

"It's big, metal, piloted and kicks butt; I'd say it counts as a Zord," Tanya commented.

"That's not Serpenterra," Adam remarked as he studied the console. "Or if it is, someone has gone to a great deal of effort to upgrade it."

"So how do we stop it?" Tanya asked.

"It's still a machine no matter how many upgrades it's received," Tommy said. "We all know Zords can be destroyed. We just need to make sure this one falls quickly."

They were interrupted by a gasp from Adam. He had been watching the Viewing Globe while the others were talking to Zordon. The machine was heading away from Angel Grove, a trail of destruction following it as it headed inland. Already the air force had engaged the powerful machine, but it had ignored them and continued its warpath, straight toward the Power Chamber.

"We have to get back out there," Tommy said.

"I concur," Billy agreed. "We need to bolster our forces by escalating our manpower."

"Dragonzord would prove useful," Sam pointed out.

Tommy nodded reluctantly. What Billy and the others were suggesting meant removing the Power Coins from the Gem Coin generator and risked destabilising the upgraded energy grid. Still, by doing so they freed the coins for the Grid Warriors to use, knowing that their additional numbers would make piloting the Zords easier.

"Trini, Zack and Aisha have managed to repair the Sky Zords following your encounter with Chop Shop," Zordon reported.

"All right guys, this is what we'll do," Tommy announced. "Place the Ninja on remote control and then pilot the other Zords into battle. Rocky, Adam, Zack, Billy and David will take the Defender Zords, Trini, Tanya, Kat, Kimberly and Jason can handle the Sky Zords; Aisha and I will pilot the Techno Zords. Sam can join us in the Techno Zords or pilot Dragonzord."

"Actually Tommy, it would be beneficial if I remained here to control the Ninja," Billy said.

"Good, let's do it," Jason said. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

"Tiger Zord!"

"Dragon Zord!"

"Mastodon!"

"Pterodactyl!"

"Saber-toothed Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

"Stegosaurus!"

They promptly teleported into battle as Billy made his way to a control station he had created to remotely operate the Zords.

* * *

"Okay Rangers, Warriors, report in," Jason ordered. "Team two in position." The Sky Zord pilots had positioned themselves close to the Secondary Zord Bay on Power Mountain. The area had been cleared to give them a catapult runway.

"Team One in position," Rocky reported from a position inside Angel Grove. The Rangers had positioned a portal there to deploy the Zords rapidly in case of an emergency.

"Team three in position," Tommy responded. The Techno Zords were located at the far end of the mountain range, well away from the Power Chamber. There was a whirling of gears as the stone door opened.

"Green Ranger in position," Sam reported from the dockside.

"I have moved the Ninja to a more suitable position and initiated battle sequence," Billy replied.

"Then let's get to work," Jason finished. "Tommy?"

"Let's do it," the Red Ranger answered. "Rangers, Warriors, deploy!"

* * *

Zordon had been on Earth long before the city of Angel Grove had first appeared. And he had taken advantage of that time, using it to build the deployment systems he needed before the humans arrived and interfered. Making use of the water system that flowed through the foothills at the base of the mountainside, he had arranged for an access tunnel to be dug under the area where the future sewers would run. A large section of the access tunnel had collapsed at the turn of the century, portal apparatus proved the easy solution to that problem.

The entry point shifted at the Rangers' command, revealing the Defender Zord garage. A turn of the key and a shift of gears, and the five vehicles roared out of their hiding place. At first they resembled normal vehicles although a close look would have revealed that one of them was empty. Then Zeo Frog shifted the lever and the Zords were expanded to their full size, shaking the foundations of nearby buildings as they headed towards Serpenterra.

"Call it Zack," Zeo Frog said, deciding to give the Black Grid Warrior the honour.

Zack smiled, clearly enjoying being back in action. "Defender Megazord, power up!"

The fire engine's cab rolled up and over the top to reveal the Megazord's head, the rest of it shifting shape to form the body. The helicopter's rotor blade flew of as the tail detached itself allowing the helicopter to form the right arm. The ambulance attached itself to the left side of the body and the motorcycle and police car, formed the legs.

Once again the Drop Zord appeared, releasing the hands, feet and chest shield for the Defender Megazord. When the Megazord was complete the rotor blades and tail transformed into a Power Sword.

"Megazord, activated," the computer reported.

* * *

"Ready?" Zeo Falcon asked as he flipped the safety switch and activated the thrusters of the two aerial Zords. A chain had been connected to each air-based Zord and the large gun and joined them to the ground vehicles.

"Yes," Aisha replied. When she had returned to service as a Grid Warrior, she had never expected the opportunity to pilot a Zord again. She was in one of the ground-based Techno Zord and with the remote controls for two more machines at hand, she had command of three Zords.

"Go!" Zeo Falcon ordered.

Aisha gunned the engines and the three vehicles roared out of the base of Power Mountain, dragging the two aircraft behind them. Together the Gem Coin Ranger and the Grid Warrior waited until they had sufficient speed and then disengaged the chains holding the two jet-like Zords, allowing them to soar into the air.

"Techno Megazord, form up!" Zeo Bear and Zeo Falcon called together.

The two planes flew away for a moment, but soon appeared again. The high speed of the cars caused the chains dragging the gun emplacement to lift it off the ground. At the right time the chains were released. The gun detached itself from the emplacement, allowing it to form the lower body onto which the larger of the two planes formed to create the upper torso, shoulders and head. The dune buggy and motorbike transformed into the arms and the other plane and car formed the legs.

A panel opened on the lower back of the Megazord from which the hands and feet for the Megazord were released along with the chest panel. The gun had in the meantime split in half and appeared in each hand.

"Drop Zord!" Zeo Falcon called and as the large Carrier Zord moved overhead, the Techno Megazord grabbed hold and was transported to the battle site.

* * *

Jason positioned himself in the Red Sky Zord, relieved that Pyramidas had given him some experience in the air. Kat claimed control of the Pink Zord while Kimberly chose the Yellow Zord; Tanya piloted the Black Zord, which she realised on closer inspection was a mixture of black and very dark green. That left Trini to pilot the Blue Zord, which had most of its functions slaved to the machines of those more experienced in flight situations.

"Alpha, we're ready," Jason announced.

There was no response, but the Rangers could feel their Zords being moved into the launch chute. Around them the atmosphere was pressurised as their engines reached full power. Then they were shot forward as the pressure was released and they were shoved along the runway.

"Full thrust!" Jason ordered. The others obeyed, flying in formation across the desert.

"Sky Megazord, power up!" Zeo Crane called. She had retained control of the Megazord's formation not only because she had experience, but because her machine had an extra set of controls that allowed her to make fine adjustments to all five machines' positions in the air.

The five planes headed upwards into the sky, where the thinner atmosphere aided their movement. The red plane's nose cone retracted into the cockpit to be replaced by a head, the wings folded toward the bottom of the plane and the fuselage shrunk to half its normal size. The pink and yellow planes transformed into the arms, and the blue and black planes formed the legs.

"Billy, now!" Zeo Crane ordered. As the near complete Megazord flew into position, the launch cannon fired fists, feet and chest plate of the Megazord towards it.

"Sky Megazord, online!" Zeo Crane ordered.

"Megazord activated," a computerised voice responded.

"Course set," Kimberly reported.

"Weapons on standby," Tanya added.

"We're still too high," Kat noticed, directing the Zord back towards the ground.

"Adjusting water injection," Trini muttered. "All systems check."

"Then let's go!" Jason ordered.

At his words a targeting grid appeared in front of his position, giving him strategic control while Kimberly and Kat retained flight controls.

With a jerk the Megazord was off, flying towards its new target, hoping to stop Serpenterra before it came into firing range and destroyed the Power Chamber.

* * *

Minion laughed when he saw the pitiful resistance the Rangers had prepared for him. The badly damaged Ninja hovered in his path and for a moment he entertained the thought of swatting it aside with Serpenterra's massive tail. Given that Serpenterra could crack the Earth in half if Minion funnelled enough power into the shot, he would have expected more in the way of resistance. How could the Rangers hope to survive such power when a few Elemental Beasts had ripped their Zord to pieces?

"WD Units, prepare the generators for the next shot. WD-40, ensure the prisoner remains in his cell."

During the battle between the Rangers and the Elemental Beasts, Minion had been so engrossed in the battle that he had failed to acknowledge Bronzo's return from Crystal with a very special guest. He wondered how the Rangers would feel when this little surprise was revealed to them. He shook the idea off. The Rangers would be dead soon anyway, what was the point of ruining a sure scheme by tormenting them?

"Master," Silvo interrupted. He and Brasso had returned from their assignments to help pilot the machine. "There are three objects heading in our direction."

"So the Rangers do have some sense," Minion mused. "Even Tommy wouldn't dare confront Minion with only one Zord."

"Shall we fire?" Brasso asked. He sounded almost eager.

"Patience Brasso. Minion wants his enemies to see that Serpenterra destroy their Zords. Otherwise they might believe that it was an accident."

The three Megazords arrived and even with the Drop Zord bolstering their number, they still appeared insignificant when confronted by the massive machine that stood in their path. Serpenterra's eyes glowed brightly as the robotic stare down continued. In the end it was the Rangers who made the first move.

The Ninja flew forward, Billy having taken the lack of activity as some sort of malfunction had chosen to go for a quick attack. Replacement Power Sword in hand and with the safety controls turned off, a move that electrified the Ninja's metal shell. Against the Elemental Beasts such a move would have proven a deciding factor, but against Serpenterra it would serve little use from the outside.

As the Ninja followed through, it shifted position as it tried to slip around the side of the head and up towards the underbelly where it could use the sword effectively. Serpenterra was too quick for such a manoeuvre though and as the Ninja sidestepped, it reared up on its back legs, dragging itself out of the way before descending rapidly to pluck the Ninja with its front foot.

"Jase, fire the SFC!" Tommy urged.

Inside the Sky Megazord the five Rangers moved to oblige, Tanya summoning the Stress Fracture Cannon while Kimberly and Kat locked the thrusters into a position where they could deal with the recoil. Jason was already using the small sweeper beam to find a weakness as Trini analysed the findings and punched the coordinates into the console.

"Fire!" The five teens cried as the light on the console turned green to show a positive lock. With a machine the size of Serpenterra though locking onto a target was not as big a problem as locking onto the right target.

The first beam of energy left the cannon, locking onto the path of the sweeper beam and testing the surface for any imperfections. Finding one such weak point, the beam ended. The arm of the Sky Megazord adjusted to the right position and the blast was fired, ripping through the air to cover the short distance between Serpenterra and the Zords.

The impact wielded disappointing results. The Rangers had been hoping for a major breach of the monstrous machine's armour, perhaps even some structural damage caused by the concussion of the blow. They had achieved a few pinpricks that barely registered on the scanners. It was clear Serpenterra had barely noticed the impact though as it concentrated on the Ninja.

Billy had struggled with the remote controls, hoping that the Power Sword would at least cause Serpenterra to loosen its grip. With a forceful shove the Ninja was shoved away from the other Zords and even as Billy tried to make the machine roll out of imminent crash, Serpenterra unleashed its primary weapon.

It was a sight Jason remembered from years before when he had seen Zedd's Zord decimate the Deserted City. Purple energy seemed to concentrate around the head and then with a mechanical roar it unleashed a blast of devastating fire to engulf the Ninja.

Billy's screens went dark, the feedback from the Zord such that it overloaded the remote sensors. The Ninja was nowhere to be seen and given the crater that had formed around its previous position, its fate was almost certain.

Billy sighed and ripped off his virtual interface. He had other things that needed doing. He could try establishing contact with the Ninja again when the battle ended.

"Damn!" Tommy swore as Serpenterra finished with the Ninja and immediate turned its attention back to the three Megazords. "We need to attack now before it can generate another blast."

"That could be a problem," Trini replied.

"Why?" the confusion was evident.

"Look!" Trini screamed as the Sky Megazord darted to the left.

Serpenterra had fired a second time and was rapidly moving towards the Rangers. On instinct Aisha threw the Techno Megazord into a side roll, bringing its weapons into firing positions as she did so, loosing several shots. The Defender Megazord was slower than the other machines and was forced to stand its ground, relying on its forcefield generators to deflect the incoming blast.

All of those events took only a few seconds and for the Rangers and Warriors it seemed as though time had slowed. Then with a violent lurch, events accelerated again as the blast connected. The shockwave choked the Sky Megazord's thrusters, depositing it firmly on the ground, shocked but otherwise fully functional. The impacts blew the rolling Techno Megazord across the sand. Aisha and Tommy had to fight the controls, but eventually had the machine back under control.

That just left the Drop Zord, which had managed to out fly the shockwave and the Defender Megazord, which despite emerging undamaged thanks to its power draining shields, had been buried up to the neck in sand.

"Nail him!" Jason cried before turning the Sky Megazord' arsenal loose on their monstrous opponent.

Tommy and Aisha responded by firing their Zord's weapons at Serpenterra's head. They were hoping to hit the eyes or somewhere equally important. The combination of their blasts and The Sky Megazord's attempt to successfully use the SFC against their foe, kept the monster away from the recharging Defender Megazord.

"Man that was too close," Zack commented as Adam and Rocky worked to restore basic functions. The blast had not been damaging, but the shield had drained their power reserves.

"We need to find a weak spot on that thing," David noted, "because I don't think we could take another blast like that, shield or no shield." The bulkhead next to the White Warrior had been melted by the blast leaving no doubt that they had been lucky.

"Power Sword!" Adam called, activating the Zord's major weapon.

With a determined movement the Defender Megazord hauled itself from the ground and advanced on the towering Serpenterra. The Sky Megazord had by now found a new firing position and was close to overloading the SFC by repeatedly discharging the weapon at the monster's neck. The Techno Megazord was still firing at Serpenterra's eyes although it stopped when a twin blast from the eyes barely missed the Zord's left leg.

"Drop Zord, begin bombing run!" Tommy ordered.

"When did you arm the Drop Zord?" Rocky asked.

"Alpha did it when he realised that we had an extra Zord out here that does very little during the battle."

As they watched some of the panels that made up the Drop Zord's frame opened to reveal a multitude of weapons. Most promising thought was the oversized rocket that was held in the deployment bay under the fuselage.

"Fire Fog!" Tommy toned.

The Zord changed course, dispersing a collection of pellets that turned to gas in the air. When a stream of microwave energy passed through the gas, it turned into an explosive ball of plasma, which drifted toward the large machine. Serpenterra though seemed to ignore the flaming ball as it engulfed its head.

"Null Ray fire!" Tommy commanded, eager to find some weapon to take this monster down. Although he hadn't mentioned it, the Drop Zord held many of the weapons that belonged on the individual Zords.

The Null Ray worked on a similar principle to an Electro Magnetic Pulse generator in that it disrupted electronic equipment within a given range. The difference with the Null Ray was that it was capable of greater accuracy since it was projected as a beam of energy. Unlike an EMP, the Null Ray did not cause lasting damage to the machinery it hit; it created a negative charge within a small area that prevented the flow of electrical energy through that system.

Serpenterra rolled slightly as the effects of the Null Ray and those of the Fire Gas combined, blinding those inside the cockpit. Still, the machine did not crash back to the ground. The energy it had been using as a weapon did briefly disappear, but only for a second. The energy powering Serpenterra was not electrical in nature and although the ray still had some effect, it was nowhere near the results Tommy had hoped for. The Plasma blast that ripped into the ground below, spewing forth a mushroom cloud that clouded their view screens, showed just how powerful Serpenterra remained.

"Force Beam Fire!" Tommy tried.

Using opposing forces to generate a twist effect, the Drop Zord's computer targeted the weakened bodywork of the monstrous machine. By targeting at the head it was able to force Serpenterra to take to the sky and by maintaining the pressure force it into a dive.

Minion angrily shoved Silvo away from the controls and twisted Serpenterra so the energy was no longer locked on his head. A sharp discharge from the machine's antlers caused the Drop Zord to break contact as it pulled sharp right to avoid Serpenterra's foot.

"Fire!" Minion commanded as he pressed the button.

There was no playfulness in his tone this time as Serpenterra unleashed a violent pulse of purple energy towards the Drop Zord. The machine dodged, but its left wing caught a glancing blow, forcing it to return to the Power Chamber.

"Jason, aim at the ground," Kat urged as the Sky Megazord shifted to a new position.

Jason did as he was instructed, hoping to catch Minion's metal beast before as it landed. But Serpenterra proved too fast and changed course as the ground it had been aiming for collapsed.

This time Serpenterra did connect with a tail shot, pummelling the Sky Megazord into the ground, leaving a groove as it slid along the ground. It came around rapidly and opened fire with its full power, almost destroying the Sky Zords in the process. It would have succeeded if one of the other Zords hadn't interfered.

The Turtle Battlezord was an annoyance to Serpenterra but little more. Still, its attack had been sufficient to divert the energy stream away from the Sky Megazord. It wasn't far enough for the machine to escape unharmed; many of the Sky Megazord's systems had been disrupted. The SFC was locked at an awkward position that meant further shots were impossible.

"Teleport back to the Power Chamber," Tommy ordered as he moved the Techno Megazord around the back of Serpenterra. The Techno Megazord fired a constant barrage at the larger machine, preventing it from turning its full attention of Sam. The five teens in the Sky Megazord obeyed, allowing the remaining Rangers to concentrate on attacking.

"Very good Tommy," Minion said as the Techno Megazord's weapons destroyed Serpenterra's left antler.

With renewed vigour Serpenterra turned and blasted the Defender Megazord, which until that point had been hacking a small hole in its tail. This time despite its shielding there was no hope for the Megazord as its chest plate was burnt to a crisp by an eye blast. Serpenterra struck with its front claws and the Zord had a gaping hole through its body. As the claw shifted, the Megazord squirmed. Still, there was no mistake as Serpenterra's powerful jaws clamped around the Zord. A single jerky movement and it was all over as the Megazord's upper body, now empty, crashed to the ground.

"Sam!" Aisha cried, causing Tommy to return his attention to the battlefield. The Turtle Dragonzord appeared resistant to Serpenterra's energy blasts, but it was rapidly losing its resistance.

There was a flash of green as said Ranger was ejected from his machine. Zordon had obviously teleported him back to the Power Chamber seconds later as Sam vanished from sight. Tor and Dragonzord had seemingly decided to fight on by themselves and a moment later Titanus had joined them.

"Well, well," Minion spoke, his voice carrying across the desert. "Seems we're all here. Allow me to introduce you to Serpenterra's full power!"

What followed was a firestorm as the monstrous Zord unleashed the power of the Zeo Crystal at its opposition. This time there was nothing the Rangers could do to protect their machines; Tommy and Aisha had tried to teleport only to find that they were trapped.

"Emergency separation!" Tommy called.

The arm of the Megazord detached from the rest of the body, transforming into its individual form of a large dune buggy, it raced off across the sands in an attempt to out run the destructive tidal wave that threatened to destroy them. The light became blinding as Tommy tried to teleport one last time. Then there was nothing as the Techno Megazord, Sky Megazord, Dragon Battlezord and Titanus, along with the remains of the Defender Zords were incinerated.

* * *

"Tommy!" Kat cried.

David just stared at the screen, numb at the apparent loss of his brother.

"Zordon, what happened to the teleport system?" Jason demanded.

"There is no problem," Billy answered. "For some reason he chose not to teleport."

"That's impossible," Zack countered. "We saw them trying to eject."

"Maybe there's a problem in the Power Chamber's systems," Billy allowed. "I'll go and check."

The Blue Warrior hurried out, stopping briefly at the Grid Warrior's power generator. He stopped for a moment and then sprinted through the door and into the depths of the power room, seeking answers.

"Zordon, can we disable the teleport system?" Trini asked. She avoided her teammates' eyes, even those of Zack and Jason. She didn't want to believe what she suspected, but the idea had been there for a while.

"We can discuss this later," Adam interrupted. "Serpenterra is heading this way and we're out of Zords."

Zordon sighed; he had hoped this day would never come. He knew that if the Power Chamber was lost, his link to the Rangers would be gone and so would all hope.

"Alpha, return Sam's wand and prepare for Operation Tempest."

"What about Billy, he's not in the room?" Alpha asked.

"I don't think it matters," Sam commented. "He's taken his Power Coin."

"You mean he's gone to help?" Kimberly asked, concerned. Nobody answered as the alarms heralded Serpenterra's arrival.

* * *

A streak of blue light heralded the arrival of Minion's uninvited guest. Billy Cranston stood before the cause of all his problems; Power Coin firmly in hand and promptly fell to his knees.

"Master," Billy acknowledged.

Minion's eyes glowed. "Welcome back my little spy," he said, taking in the youth before him. "Brasso, fetch my other guest, I believe Billy will find this meeting truly enjoyable."

Billy was silent, not for the first time wondering why he was doing this. It didn't seem the logical thing to do, but he had made the deal with Minion and he would honour his side of the bargain. There was the sound of a struggle as the WD Units led by Brasso dragged in Minion's prize possession.

"Ah, it's been a long time, Mr Cranston," Minion commented as another Billy was dumped at his feet.

Flashback to Planet Crystal, The Recent Past

The landing had not been bad, but scrambling free of the wreckage had been difficult. Still, Billy had managed to clamber out of his ship.

"Zordon, Alpha, can you hear me?" he called, hoping his communicator would reach Earth. There was silence. With a sigh he made to explore his temporary home when he saw somebody ahead of him.

"Oh it's you," he said, relief crossing his face. "What are you doing here?"

He was too far away to be heard though. One thing was certain though: he was saved. He approached cautiously, in case his friends mistook him for someone else. He had never expected to see Zack and Trini here of all places and in Zeo Ranger uniforms no less. But why were they Zeo Rangers and what were they looking for that required them to enter Standby Mode?

"Billy?" Trini asked, obviously shocked. "Is it really you?"

"What are you two doing here?" he asked.

"There was a problem on Earth," Zack told him. "The others are... ill."

"Zordon sent us here to get the cure, but we were infected too," Trini explained. "The cure is to inhale the pollen of this flower." She paused. "You'd better take the cure too Billy, just because we're cured doesn't mean we aren't carrying."

"Yeah," Zack agreed. "Zordon will need to filter us through the teleport system to be certain.

Billy reached out and took the plant before raising it to his nose. He glanced up to see a victorious smirk on Trini's face as the pollen shot into his eyes.

"I told you he would fall for it," he heard her tell Zack.

"He always did trust you," Zack replied.

"Affirmative," came a third voice. He looked up to see an identical copy staring down at him. He tried to move, but the pollen had paralysed him. "I'll take that," the impostor said, seizing Billy's blank Power Coin.

"You won't get away with this," Billy warned.

"Oh but he will, Mr Cranston." A black masked figure had appeared in front of him. "My name is Minion, soon to be ruler of Earth. I see you've met my faithful constructs."

"You're joking."

"Minion does not jest, Mr Cranston. Your landing here was planned for from the moment you left Aquitar. Already my servant Arcana has injected one of your friends with a magical virus that requires them to come here. When they do, they will find your duplicate and take him back to Earth. Then, the fun will begin."

"The Rangers will stop you," Billy insisted. He had faith in his friends. He had seen what the Zeo Rangers could do and knew in his heart that they would rescue him.

Minion laughed. "Stop me, stop Minion? I already have the Zeo Crystal in my possession. Your friends are using temporary powers and second rate Zords. I doubt they could stand up to Finster, let alone Minion. Besides, how will they rescue you when they don't know that you're missing?"

Minion turned away from Billy to talk to his, well Arcana's creations; the duplicates were made from a similar substance as the slime Arcana had used to drain the Rangers' powers a day or so earlier.

"Do you understand your mission?" he asked.

"Yes," the Billy clone answered. "I am to infiltrate the Rangers, overtly offer my full assistance until the right time. Then, when the time is right I will destroy Tommy."

"Very good," Minion agreed. "You have the time it takes for Serpenterra to reach full power," and he ignored Billy's gasp," ensure that the Power Chamber is destroyed before you rejoin my forces."

"Yes master," the Billy-thing answered, bowing deeply.

Minion turned his attention to his other servants. "Take Billy and ensure he does not escape. Minion will send Bronzo to collect him when he's needed. After that, await further instructions."

The constructs bowed and dragged the real Billy away as Minion's image faded.

Flashback Ends

And there it was, a plan that if the recent arrival was any indication, had been a total success. His clone of Billy had sabotaged the teleportation system to prevent Tommy leaving the Techno Megazord and entering the Power Chamber. And since Serpenterra had incinerated the whole area, there was little chance of the Red Ranger surviving.

"Do it," he commanded.

The Billy clone pulled out a remote and pressed the button, setting off explosives he had planted throughout Power Mountain. In one shot he hoped to take out the Zords, the armoury and most importantly, the Gem Coin powers. The clone had already stolen Billy's Power Coin back. He had even taken Sam's coin, robbing the Grid Warriors of their powers.

"Good, now go to the island and start work on your next task," he said. The clone promptly obeyed. "And that Billy is why Minion will triumph. I have the tools, the knowledge and the power. You could too... join me."

"No." If it had been one of the other Rangers, Zack or Rocky for example, there would have followed a tirade about how they would never join forces with evil. Billy didn't bother, his attention focussed on Minion. If the villain chose to attack him physically, mentally or magically, he wanted to see it coming. He knew that if a villain wanted him on their side they would have a way to force him to do so. Pretty speeches would not change that.

Minion cocked his head to the side before ripping off his mask. What Billy saw was shocking. The face was twisted, disfigured by metal rivets and hoops; it was unquestionably his face that was staring back at him coldly. And when he spoke, Billy recognised the voice as his own. "That's ... regrettable." Then Billy felt himself being hauled to his feet by the WD Units. "Take him to the island."

* * *

Power Chamber

Explosions ripped through Power Mountain, destroying every room that the Billy impostor had been to. The Citadel at the top of the mountain was the first victim, collapsing in as it had done so when Rita and Zedd had blown it up previously. Then the explosion progressed down the main lift shaft, taking out the Zord Cannon as they did so.

Elsewhere in the mountainside the Secondary Zord Bay exploded, falling rocks crushed the medical room and the armoury was destroyed, the ammunition stored there added to the blasts and ripping through into Billy's secret storeroom.

Other explosions were triggered in the areas of the mountainside that had been used to store the Zeo Zords. The bays and the machinery used to launch them were destroyed, undermining the foundations as it shot up the central access tube. The Briefing Room was consumed in a massive fireball.

_"Hello Rangers." _The message had started as soon as the first explosions had been heard. _"If you haven't guessed by now, those explosions were not caused by Serpenterra; yours truly accepts full responsibility." _

"Billy. How could you?" Trini asked.

_"How could I betray you, my friends?" _the message continued. Obviously he had accurately guessed their questions. _"Easy you simpletons, I was never your friend; I'm not even Billy Cranston, just a clone obeying my master's wishes while the Billy you know rots in my master's prison. How does it feel Rangers to know you let the enemy into your headquarters and helped him to destroy you? And for the record, Tommy and Aisha's didn't die because they failed to teleport; I cut the power, just as I stole the Power Coins. Goodbye Rangers, knowing you wasn't as pleasant as fooling was." _

That was when the Power Chamber had exploded.

* * *

Springwood, Ohio

Serpenterra continued on its path of destruction, unhindered by the machine's high fuel consumption, which had been corrected thanks to the Zeo Crystal's near infinite supply of energy. Even with its plasma cannon repeatedly firing the fuel cells didn't show signs of diminishing. Of course the shots were not the high yield planet crushing blasts that it had used before. For some reason Minion found it more pleasurable to take lives in small doses rather than kill all life at once.

Below was a small town. It managed a few select stores, a public bar, elementary school and its own small television station. The major employer in the area was the nuclear power plant, the most notorious plant in the country since its millionaire owner was a miser who was more than happy to ignore as many safety rules as possible. The mayor was a corrupt womaniser who spent much of his fortune paying the town's papers not to cover his indiscretions and the police department to deal with those that weren't sensible enough to accept bribery.

The town was not known for its citizens' calmed reasoned thinking at the best of times; today there was absolute panic. The people had realised that the monster above them could not be stopped and there even the old fallout shelters built in case of nuclear war, would not shield them. And so they huddled together under the statue of their town's founder, hoping that something would save them.

Serpenterra hovered over the town, waiting as the sense of panic reached a peak. Then the energy flowed into its weapon systems. A glow formed in the mouth and with sudden ferocity, a plasma blast ripped into the ground. The roads boiled as the houses were vaporised. The people tried to cry out in pain, but their voices were already lost as the sound of the explosion echoed into the neighbouring town.

And on board the ship, Minion laughed as he adjusted his course to take him to Washington DC via a few other small towns. He was the master now and nothing could stop him. The Earth, was doomed.

**To be continued **


	20. When the Smoke Cleared

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

When the Smoke Cleared

The desert outside of Angel Grove looked as if it had been used as a testing ground for nuclear weapons. For that matter the city itself did not look much better. A combination of the Elemental Beasts and Serpenterra had left a wide trail of decimation that even the Rangers had been unable to avoid.

At the bottom of the deepest crater, beneath a large chunk of scrap metal, something was moving. When Tommy Oliver and Aisha Campbell had tried to escape the blast wave that Serpenterra had unleashed, they had tried and failed to teleport back to the Power Chamber. They had failed and had been forced to try to outrun the energy wave.

* * *

Flashback

"Well, well," Minion spoke, his voice carrying across the desert. "Seems we're all here. Allow me to introduce you to Serpenterra's full power!"

What followed was a firestorm as the monstrous Zord unleashed the power of the Zeo Crystal at its opposition. This time there was nothing the Rangers could do to protect their machines; Tommy and Aisha had tried to teleport only to find that they were trapped.

"Emergency separation!" Tommy called.

The arm of the Megazord detached from the rest of the body, transforming into its dune buggy form before racing off across the sands in an attempt to out race the destructive tidal wave that threatened to destroy them.

The sand on either side seemed to part as the ground underneath collapsed. Only their speed allowed them to plane over the ground as they raced toward Power Mountain. The light was growing brighter and the heat was causing the controls to smoke.

"Tommy tried the emergency teleport one last time, this time not aiming for the Power Chamber. Instead he instructed it to lock onto any point outside of the blast's radius. The wave had by this time caught up to the machine and just as they teleported, the blast ripped the Zord to shreds.

There was nothing as the Techno Megazord, Sky Megazord, Dragon Battlezord and Titanus, along with the remains of the Defender Zords were incinerated.

Flashback Ends

* * *

"Aw man, that was close," Tommy commented as he regained consciousness.

Too close he noticed as his attention was drawn to the burns on his calves and shoulders. His powers had shut down while he had been out cold and as he shifted he realised that he had no idea where they were.

"Ow," Aisha said, an understated reaction if the wince she made when she moved her arm was an indicator. "Any idea where we are?"

Tommy studied the surrounding. They were in a tunnel of some description, one that if the dimensions were any indicator had been intended to act as a freeway. Water was leaking in from above and in one spot he could just make out daylight.

"We're in the tunnel between the Power Chamber and Angel Grove," he said at last. "The computer must have teleported us underground before the blast connected."

He tapped his communicator, expecting to teleport back to headquarters. But nothing happened even when Aisha tried her own communicator.

"Zordon, come in," Tommy tried. "Zordon, Alpha? Jason, you there?"

There wasn't any sound, not even the noise made when they pressed the buttons.

"Something's wrong," Aisha stated. "Do you think Serpenterra destroyed the Power Chamber?"

Tommy shook his head. "Zordon would have done something," he said confidently. He tapped his powerless communicator again. "Come on, I think we need to go this way."

* * *

The Power Rangers' headquarters had been decimated by Billy's treachery. The bombs he had planted had been positioned to cause maximum carnage and ensure that should the Rangers survive, they would be alone and incapable of fighting.

The mighty Eltarian generators that had powered the mountainside were silent; most of the wiring essential to their operation had been ripped out when the power control room had collapsed.

Zordon's tube had been blasted to pieces, cutting the White Master out of the Power Chamber and rendering him helpless to do anything other than to watch as events unfolded. Alpha had also seen better days, his head scattered between the remains of several consoles, a large shaft of metal pinning his remains to the center of the Viewing Screen.

The rest of the Power Chamber had been destroyed when the explosives attached to the structural supports had detonated, sending the floor and the Rangers into the depths of the mountainside. The falling debris had crashed through pipes and conduits as it fell, clearing a path for the teens to follow.

With luck the Rangers had been able to control their falls, grabbing onto anything they could to slow their descent. Sam had used the Wizard of Deception's wand, which had been damaged protecting them from the full force of the explosion, to ensure a safe landing somewhere deep underground.

There was the sound of somebody moving, a few soft pops and then light as Trini managed to find one of the glow sticks the Rangers had placed on each level in case of power failure. Now that they were able to see where they were they could assess their situation. It didn't look good.

Rocky was in the worst shape having damaged his back during the fall. There was very little they could do to help him since their knowledge of medicine was limited. Tanya and Kat worked to make him comfortable until it was safe to move him.

The others had not escaped unscathed. Cuts and bruises were a common injury; Zack had singed the hair on the left side of his head. Adam had a nasty cut to the shoulder; the piece of shrapnel embedded just an inch from his neck showed how lucky he had been.

"David?" Trini asked softly. The White Grid Warrior had been quiet and she was worried that his injuries were worse than she had first thought.

He looked up at her and she could see he was in shock. The sparks from the explosion had damaged his eyesight. She suspected he would recover, but like Rocky, he needed real medical attention as soon as possible.

"Zordon, Alpha," Jason tried. He had wrapped a piece of torn T-shirt around the gash on his head.

There was no reply and if he were honest, he hadn't expected one. The main chamber had taken the brunt of the assault, so there was very little chance that Zordon and Alpha had escaped.

"This place is going to take forever to repair," Zack noted.

The others nodded in agreement.

"On the plus side we still have some power," Adam reported as he studied his Gem Coin Transformer. True without the machinery they would not be able to recharge their powers, but this gave them some chance.

"Better save those for now," Trini warned.

"What are we going to do when they run out?" Kat asked.

"Worry about it later," Sam interrupted before anyone could reply. "Listen."

"I don't hear anything," Kimberly replied.

"Oh no," Trini gasped. When the others looked at her, she explained. "We're deep inside the mountain and there's no soundproofing down here. If we can't hear anything then the generators aren't working."

"And no generators means no air circulation," Adam added.

"All right, first priority is to find a way out. There must be something, even one of the old service shafts will do if it leads to the surface."

The others moved off to explore their surroundings, hoping to find a way out. Moving through the underground maze of tunnels, it soon became clear how much damage had been caused. Several paths were blocked and in some areas the floor had just given way.

It had been Kimberly who had stumbled upon the oversized construction vehicles at the very end of a long and crudely crafted tunnel. She had been surprised to find that the machines although clearly ancient, still had some power. It was Adam who understood their importance.

"These are the machines Zordon and Alpha used to bore the Zord tunnels," he explained. "They must have been left here when their task was complete."

"So they could dig us a way out?" Kat asked hopefully.

"Better than that," was the reply. "We must be near to one of the existing tunnels. Maybe we can find a way through."

"Okay, Zack and Sam go and help Rocky and David. Get them in here so we can leave. Adam, see if you can find a tunnel we can use." Jason paused. "The rest of us need to take a look around. Kat, see if there are any Utility Boxes on this level. Kim, we need weapons, see what you can find. Tanya and Trini, check out the last few doors in your search areas. I'll check this way."

The Rangers hurried off to complete their assigned tasks.

* * *

"This isn't good," Tommy groaned as they were faced with a solid wall.

At some point Zordon had filled the entrances to the Power Chamber and had planned for the Rangers to teleport in and out of the tunnel without the security risk of direct access. Sadly that meant they were now trapped with no way out.

"Maybe there's a backdoor," Aisha suggested.

Tommy thought about it. Zordon was a skilled and experienced tactician. It stood to reason that he would not have created a tunnel unless he had a way to escape should it collapse.

"What's that?" Aisha asked.

She could sense the vibrations from the far side of the wall and noticed the small pile of dust forming at the base of the wall.

"Tommy, get back," she warned as stone exploded outward as something broke its way into the tunnel.

Tommy didn't need to be told twice. He jumped away from the wall and holding onto his friend's hand, the two of them scrambled back down the tunnel as quickly as possible.

* * *

"Let's go!" Jason instructed.

Adam obliged immediately, turning the drill head to the appropriate wall and then engaging the drive mechanism. The three spinning heads rotated as he lifted the clutch and moved the heads forward into the outer layer of stone. The engine took on a deeper tone, suggesting that it was under strain as the heads clawed their way through the material.

"Bring the second drive into play," Adam instructed.

When engaged the second rotor spun all three heads to generate extra torque. As Trini started the drive, the difference was easy to hear as the strain on the engine was replaced by the sound of cracking stone.

"Twenty-five feet," Zack called from his station. He was monitoring their direction and distance to breakthrough while Kat watched to ensure they didn't strike anything harder than rock; knowing Zordon it was likely there were all sorts of materials around. "Ten feet. Breakthrough in ten seconds."

Adam revved the motors and there was a loud screech as the drill heads burst through the wall just as Tommy and Aisha jumped away.

"Good job Adam," Jason congratulated.

"Yeah," Zack agreed. "But what do we do now?"

Nobody had the answer to that.

"There's something ahead," Kat told them. "It's moving."

"Probably rats," Tanya commented.

"Too big for Rats," Kat responded. Her eyes widened, as the image grew clearer. "Adam, stop the machine, it's Tommy!"

Adam hit the emergency break, cutting power to the motors and energising the powerful electro magnets that restrained the flailing blades. As the machine ground to a halt just seconds before cutting their friends to ribbons, the Rangers breathed a sigh of relief.

"It stopped," Aisha puffed as she and Tommy climbed off the ground, not quite believing they had survived.

"We still don't know who's driving that thing," Tommy warned.

"Bro I have never been so glad to see you," Jason commented as the machine opened to reveal the other Rangers.

"I'm glad you're all safe," Tommy replied, helping Aisha into the machine. "What happened to you guys ... did Serpenterra ... hey, where's Billy?"

"That's a long story," Jason answered. There was a brief silence during which Jason and Tommy just looked at each other; they seemed to communicate with just their eyes. "Get on board and we'll fill you in."

Aisha and Tommy clambered into the machine and Adam engaged the motors before turning the machine towards the surface. It was time to get above ground and make some plans.

* * *

On the Moon, Lord Zedd was watching the events on Earth with a keen interest. The Rangers were once again back in the fight it seemed albeit using technology that was becoming more unreliable every time they used it. It was Serpenterra that really held his attention. The beautiful machine of destruction was performing just how he had always dreamed it would. It moved as swiftly or slowly as the operator wished over its target and then extinguished everything surrounding it in a single shot.

People were suffering on Earth and Zedd loved it. His body pulsed with red light as he eagerly digested each scene of destruction and savoured every cry he heard from the battleground. His only wish was that he had been at the controls showing those miserable Rangers the true meaning of power or even just sitting in the cockpit watching the carnage first hand. Sadly that could not be and he reluctantly remained where he was, his eyebeam never leaving the planet's surface. Then in a flash of inspiration he realised that Minion's actions had given him a tremendous opportunity, one he intended to take advantage of.

* * *

King Mondo was torn between two conflicting protocols. While he admired the destructiveness of his Minion's little toy, it was his duty to point out its every flaw to his youngest son. His respect for his fellow villain clashed with the notion that Serpenterra had been built by organic creatures. And the idea that an organic creature like Zedd could create a machine capable of winning where the superior technology and knowledge of the Machine Empire had failed was almost as unbelievable as the notion that five immature humans could hold off the mighty King Mondo for almost a year. The very existence of Serpenterra was an insult to the Machine Empire. That it was winning with a mere monster at the controls made the situation seem far worse.

"Such a hideous design," he said out loud for the benefit of those around him.

"You are right as always dear," Queen Machina commented. To show her agreement she opened her fan and waved it in front of her face in an attempt to waft some foul odour away from her delicate nasal receptors.

"Daddy, why aren't you controlling that thing?" Sprocket asked. "It is a machine."

"Yes father, do tell," Gasket challenged.

Although Gasket and Archerina had joined forces with Mondo and Machina, there were still many unresolved issues between Mondo and his son. The bad oil that flowed between them had not vanished and both were clearly thinking that upon the conquest of Earth they would gladly dispose of the other. Of course Gasket imagined plucking Mondo's personality module from the remains of his trashed skull and crushing it under foot while Mondo preferred to make plans for the new obedient personality he would install in his son to make him more manageable, like Sprocket.

"Now Gasket, your father can hardly be held responsible for General Venjix's failure," Machina admonished.

"Venjix should have been melted down long ago," Gasket retorted.

Mondo gave a mechanical snort. "Venjix is a loyal servant to the Royal House of Gadgetry."

Not quite true. Venjix was one of Mondo's select generals and as such was loyal solely to the reigning monarch. In fact his loyalty went further and bordered on being fanatical. There were some rumours that he had banded together Cog's of a similar disposition and turned them into a cult.

"He is an obsolete fool," Gasket argued.

"If I were execute all those who failed me, you would have been on the scrap heap long ago," Mondo explained. "Venjix is undertaking vital research into the powers he took from a group of humans, reverse engineering the technology to suit our purposes."

"You forget Gasket that your father is a strategic genius," Machina interrupted.

"That doesn't explain how we can deal with Minion while he controls Serpenterra."

"Of course it does my malfunctioning mongrel," Mondo answered, "eventually Minion will have to step outside of his machine and then we can finish him."

"Or we could just let the humans do it for us," Sprocket said. The older machines turned to look at him, shocked to their core programming by his statement. "Look Daddy!"

Sure enough on the surface the Power Rangers had emerged. The war it seemed was not over yet.

* * *

Two hours later and the Power Rangers were sitting around an overly large table discussing recent events. With the Power Chamber compromised they had fallen back to a command post in another part of the Freak Zone. Their injuries had healed, proving that accelerated healing worked at least on lesser injuries.

"So an impostor that looked like Billy managed to get into the Power Chamber, plant enough explosives to destroy everything, possibly killed Zordon and Alpha, and stole the only two Power Coins in our possession," Tommy summarised miserably. "And we never noticed."

"It was a very good act," Zack agreed.

"Yeah but how could we be so blind? He's our friend; last time this happened we knew something was wrong."

"That's part of the problem," Adam pointed out. He had taken the betrayal to heart and dreaded to think what had happened to the real Billy. "Last time Billy was a part of the group. He was here and we noticed when his behaviour changed. This time Billy had been away so any odd behaviour was overlooked. This - whatever it was, took advantage of our relief over curing Jason and managed to avoid any awkward questions."

"Okay, I accept that," Tommy agreed. "But man, how much more damage can Minion cause? He's taken the Zeo Crystal and our Power Coins. We've lost the Zords, the Power Chamber, Alpha and Zordon due to his plans. And now he had Billy too. What do we do?"

"We need to get Billy back," Rocky said. His back had taken longer than expected to heal and even now it wasn't perfect.

"And the Zeo Crystal," Kat added.

"In the meantime we need replacement Zords and powers," Trini suggested.

"And guys, wouldn't it be a good idea to find a way to defeat Serpenterra?" Kimberly asked.

"What's the point?" Zack asked. "Minion's won this round. We had our powers and now he's taken them, we had Zords and he destroyed them. What do we have left?"

While nobody wanted to admit it, they felt the same as Zack. They had fought and they had been beaten down, they had gotten back up and now it seemed Minion had beaten them again. What could they do when their powers were all but destroyed and the one person who could help them was out of contact?

"I wish Zordon was here," Aisha whispered.

"Or Alpha," Kimberly sighed.

"Hey, I'd be happy to just see Ninjor," Tommy admitted.

There was a flash of blue light. "You called?"

"Ninjor!" Tommy, Kat, Adam, Rocky, Aisha and Kimberly cried as they rushed to greet their old ally.

"Man we thought you were lost," Tommy said as the legendary Morphin Master enjoyed the embrace of his former students. Ninjor laughed, the kind of goofy laugh that turned out to be highly infectious because seconds later Aisha and Kimberly were giggling and the others were at least smiling.

"Did you really think that a little thing like reversing the flow of time could break our bond?" he asked, seemingly insulted by the very suggestion. "Our bond has never been stronger. All you had to do was concentrate on our mutual bond and I would have been there; not that I would have been much use against the Machine Empire mind you," he allowed. "Still, it's the thought that counts."

"Um right," Kimberly said, trying to digest all that the ancient warrior had said. "Ninjor we'd like you to meet some friends of ours. This is Jason, Trini, Zack, David, Tanya and Sam."

"I know all about the Green Ranger," Ninjor said. "I was there, remember?"

They did remember. When Zedd had held Ninjor as his captive, he had used his prisoner to create a Power Coin for Minion. Later he had used the Morphin Master again, this time as a bargaining chip to make the Ranger agree to his terms for a contest. Sam had arrived when the Rangers had lost.

"But where is Billy?" Ninjor asked.

Tanya and Kat looked down miserably as Jason and Tommy took it in turns to explain. It had been their mistake that had brought the impostor - a temporary construct created by Arcana -, back to Earth. And even though the others had accepted him as Billy, it was the fact he had arrived with them that had made the illusion convincing.

"I see," Ninjor said when they finished, rubbing his hand over the lower part of his chin. "So let me get this straight, you managed to fight off Rita and Zedd, the Machine Empire and the Elemental Beasts using temporary powers and makeshift Zords?"

There were some nods. When said like that they realised how the odds had been stacked against them. Perhaps they should never have tried.

"And you tied eight Rangers to two Power Coins, creating Grid Warriors?"

Once again they nodded. When stated by a third party they realised how ridiculous it sounded. Had they really been foolish enough to believe it would work?

"Well in that case I can only say one thing," Ninjor concluded, sounding strangely serious. "Congratulations Rangers, not many would have fought on when faced with such odds. Your bravery is proof that you are worthy of the Power; Zordon chose wisely. And with Ninjor on your side we shall triumph over evil."

"You mean you'll help us?" Kimberly asked. They looked up at him, hope in their eyes and Ninjor realised how young these humans really were. So much responsibility placed on such young shoulders. If he hadn't seen them in action for himself, Ninjor would have been having a serious chat with the old wizard.

"Of course I will help," Ninjor said. "Together we will overcome the odds and show Minion the true power of Ninjor." He looked at the Rangers speculatively. "Or perhaps find help to show him the power of Good."

"So we can get new powers?" Adam asked, uncertain.

"That's great Ninjor, where do we start?" Tommy asked.

"Not so fast Tommy," Ninjor warned. "Your old powers still exist," he explained. "Only when you have retrieved the Zeo Crystal can you use new powers."

He held out his hand expectantly and the Gem Coin Rangers handed over their Gem Coin Transformers. He felt a little hurt that they believed he would just leave them to fight without any powers.

"My, they're pretty," Ninjor, commented as he studied the devices. He pulled a screwdriver out of somewhere and started tinkering. "Hm, missing something ... ah ha! Be right back." He vanished only to reappear behind Tanya seconds later, making the Yellow Ranger jump. "You shouldn't leave these lying around," he told them, holding up the remnants of the Super Zeo Gems.

They had been damaged in the explosion and only the Red gem seemed to be intact despite the cracks that ran across its surface. Ninjor closed his hand and pressed them into a single gem. Then he took a blank Power Coin and pressed the gem into the surface.

"See Rangers, even I can make a Gem Coin," he joked as he handed it to Tommy. "This should keep you going for a while, at least until we return. I'll just take your friends here and see if we can retrieve Billy."

"Awesome," Zack said, the enthusiasm clear in his voice.

"Indeed," Ninjor agreed before turning back to the former Zeo Rangers. "Just try to slow Serpenterra down."

"Ninjor, what about Zords?" Kat asked.

"Oh my yes, you Rangers don't appear to have much luck when it comes to Zords. Now let me see... Perfect!" He raised his hand and the Rangers were forcibly teleported into one of the craters left from the previous battles.

"I don't believe it survived," Rocky gasped.

At the base of the pit the Ninja lay unmoving. It had clearly seen better days, but was far from being destroyed.

"A bit of a fixer-upper," Ninjor remarked, "but still functional."

"That's great Ninjor," Tommy said, "but we still need a plan. Serpenterra is too powerful for a direct attack."

Ninjor scratched his head in thought, and then straightened as his keen senses locked onto something else. "I believe you will find one of William's creations over there."

The Rangers had overlooked that Zord. While not destroyed by Minion along with the rest of the Zeo Zords, they had thought it was destroyed in the Zord Bay. It would take work to bypass the need for Tommy to use the power of the Red Zeo Ranger to operate it.

Tommy still didn't look convinced. They had the Ninja, which had seen better days and the Red Battlezord that even if they could control, would be little more than a puppy dog biting at Serpenterra's feet.

"Fear not, Ninjor is on your side," the Morphin Master assured them. He was going to say more but trailed off as something caught his attention; there had been a sudden loss of life on the planet. While it had only been a thousand or so humans, the pain and fear they had felt was no less real.

"Ninjor, are you okay?" Aisha asked as the Rangers gathered around.

"I'm fine Rangers; there are vile schemes afoot. Minion's scheme must be halted."

"Aw man, as if we didn't have enough problems," Tommy groaned.

"Ninjor, what are we going to do?" Kimberly asked.

"We will continue to defend the Earth until we can get Zordon back," he announced after making a point of pondering the problem. "But first, we need to get Billy."

The reply wasn't the one the Rangers had hoped for since they didn't want to be split up; they believed they were stronger as a complete team compared to when they were divided. Still, they understood why they had to divide their forces. Reluctantly the former Grid Warriors and David joined hands with Ninjor and were teleported away leaving the others to ponder their next course of action.

* * *

Destruction had proven to be a distraction for Minion as his journey to Washington DC turned into random attacks on as many towns as possible. He had already shifted course once, deciding that Texas would make a suitable target. So far he had refrained from using a major burst from the main cannon, settling for equally destructive eyebeams and blasts from the antlers.

Resistance from the military had been constant and he had to grudgingly admit that the humans had courage while faced with impossible odds. The jet pilots and tank drivers who had been killed trying to slow Serpenterra was a testament to their bravery and ultimately symbolic of their stupidity.

Now after indulging his vindictive side by laying waste to a small ranch in Utah, he decided it was time to return his attention to more important matters. Serpenterra turned sharply before resuming its path toward Washington. By now he had accepted that neither the President nor the Vice President would be there when he arrived, but the very act of dominating the White House would be a show of strength to the rest of the world that he was in charge.

His mind drifted to the Rangers. They had been worthy opponents and he would miss them. There again the thought of their screams as Power Mountain had been ripped apart inside gave him a sense of power and a feeling of triumph. He had bested his enemies and redeemed his previous losses. And now he was going to use their powers to force the Earth into submission.

He was so busy dreaming of how glorious it would be to walk triumphantly among the vanquished humans that he was taken by surprise when Serpenterra was jolted by an energy blast. The alarm sounded as the machine registered minor damage to one of its armoured sections.

"Show me," he commanded.

Brasso obliged, using sensors on the hull to find their attacker, now a speck in the sky.

"Magnify."

Once again the henchman obeyed, zeroing in on the golden pyramid. A second blast erupted from the apex of the Gold Ranger's Zord. Pyramidas while smaller was obviously a powerful machine. At least it had enough firepower to damage a machine that several Zords had failed to scratch.

"Welcome home Trey," Minion said before stumbling as yet another blast connected. "Destroy him!"

Serpenterra turned towards its attacker and the fight was on.

* * *

"Another hit," Travis commented.

Originally Travis had planned to stay on Triforia with Trent to try and establish some form of government. But when he had received the official reports stating just how dangerous the situation on Earth had become, he had reconsidered. His Triforian Viper had caught up with Trey in Hyper space and the two had travelled together to Earth.

When they had arrived, Trey had discovered the remains of the Power Chamber and had assumed the worst. Unable to find the Rangers, he had started to hunt down Serpenterra instead. So far the six or so shots they had thrown at the enormous machine had had only a limited effect. It seemed that the only vulnerability would also prove the most dangerous area.

"Lookout!" Trey warned as Serpenterra fired back.

Pyramidas was big, Serpenterra was much larger and its firepower was unhindered by its bulk. Pyramidas lurched off course to avoid the blast, the pilot unwilling to test his shielding.

"We will never get close enough to damage it," Travis warned.

Trey nodded as the Zord was skimmed by an eye blast and twisted under the force.

"I am pulling back," Trey answered. "We will have to find another way."

"Returning to Angel Grove," Travis answered.

The machine streaked off across the countryside, its pilots already making plans to strike again. They had failed to destroy Serpenterra, but they had learnt that a direct assault would not work. They needed to play dirty.

"What is that?" Travis asked when the red light started pulsing on the control panel.

"The Rangers," Trey gasped. "They are alive."

The Zord changed course again, this time heading for the desert outside of Angel Grove.

* * *

Gasket watched the proceedings with contempt. He was the ruler of his own planet yet was forced to listen to his father's babble. He had had enough and one look at Archerina confirmed that she felt likewise. If he had been capable of doing so he would have smiled as they slipped away to start their own plan. Alliances within the Machine Empire never lasted for long.

In a small room deep within the Lunar Palace, Rita Repulsa was also planning to take control of the situation. She had been the one who had first attacked the Earth, so it seemed only fitting that she would be the one to rule over the planet once the Minion had emerged victorious. Controlling a being as powerful as the clone had proven to be, was a daunting task, but not impossible. She was responsible for his existence after all. That gave her a relationship she could use to forge a spell. Perhaps she could make him love her and get rid of Zedd. A husband like Minion would make a welcome addition to that small but obscenely powerful army.

She was already chanting; laying the foundations of a binding spell that would bend the construct to her will. It would take time to work he would once again be under the guidance of Rita Repulsa. Everything would be the way it should be, again.

Her spell casting could be heard throughout the Lunar Palace. Rito scratched his head, not really understanding why his sister had to make so much noise; Goldar grumbled under his breath that no good would come of Rita's actions. Neither had a true understanding of how Rita's magic worked and both preferred the simple point and cast method. Zedd himself could only recognise a few words of the ancient language his wife spoke, but knew that she was calling forth all the magic trapped within the artefacts on her altar to ensure the enchantment's success. Only Finster seemed to know what was happening; the old monster maker had been with Rita for a long time and had studied her methods. He smiled gleefully at the sound of his mistress causing trouble for her enemies. He also felt relief that for once he could not count himself among the beings that that spell might be aimed at.

* * *

Minion's Island, Gulf of Mexico

They had not expected to attack so soon when they had agreed to join Ninjor's expedition, but the Morphin Master wanted Billy out of evil's clutches as soon as possible; he was not about to leave one of his students in the hands of the enemy given how the Rangers had been willing to risk everything to save him.

"Be very quiet Rangers," he warned as he led them through a maze of corridors. "We do not want to attract attention."

"Easier said than done," Trini answered as she caught sight of the WD Units guarding one of the cells.

"Fear not, I shall make a diversion for you," Ninjor offered. He strolled forward with a sense of confidence that only a Morphin Master trained in the disciplines of Ninja with an easy escape route could manage to imitate. "Hey you there," he called to one of the WD Units, "is this the Ninja Ranger Convention?"

The machines reacted predictably, querying their computerised memory units, locating Ninjor and identifying him as a threat. They charged in, ready for a fight and were surprised when he teleported further down the corridor. He did so repeatedly until the way was clear for his students.

Using the distraction to their advantage, the Rangers sneaked up to the cell and opened the door.

"Hey!"

They turned toward the sound in time to see more guards approaching.

"Is this the real Billy?" Aisha asked.

Trini stared at him for a moment, looking into his eyes. When they stared up at her pleadingly and nodded sadly; the boy's jailers had not been kind.

"Then we're gone," Jason announced. "Ninjor, hurry up."

"Patience Jason," Ninjor answered. He had been having fun proving that he could embarrass the WD Units with ease.

In the meantime the lead WD Unit had pulled out a communicator and was in the process of summoning help.

"Security breach in holding section."

Alarms sounded across the island as the WD Units were teleported out. The corridors darkened and behind them a heavy plated door slammed into place.

"Oh no," they heard Billy mumble; he was still unaware of where he was.

"Billy, what's happening?" Trini asked.

"It's a Centaurian," he managed as if that would explain the panic on his face.

Venjix had not been idle during his time in Minion's service and had put himself to work improving on the standard WD Units. The Centaurian was one such improvement. It had the slightly enlarged upper body of a WD Unit combined with a robotic insect that acted as its lower body. Its head was pointed with a pair on mandible claws and two spiked antennas.

It stomped forward and the Rangers wisely chose to retreat. They ran through the corridors, joining up with Ninjor on the way. The

Morphin Master had found himself unable to teleport and had quickly returned to help his students.

"Oh my!" he exclaimed when he saw the creature heading his way. He called on his powers and threw a ball of flame at the machine, but it kept coming. He threw a second ball at the ceiling and managed to separate the robot from its prey.

"That won't hold him for long," Kimberly guessed. The Centaurian was already trying to break through the makeshift barrier, its arm transforming into a cutting disk.

"Destroy the head unit," Billy advised. "That's where the teleport jammer is."

"Great, of all the times not to have a Blade Blaster," Zack grumbled.

Ninjor promptly obliged, he was a Morphin Master after all. The weapons he gave them were old, heavy had most likely been created for use by beings that were larger than the Rangers.

Jason took the first weapon gratefully, turned around and fired at the door behind them. It buckled but remained in place, so he fired twice more. On the third shot it opened far enough for the Rangers and Ninjor to squeeze through. In some cases, avoidance was better than fighting.

"Oh no, guys!" Kimberly called from further up the corridor.

They ran to join her and found a squad of WD Units blocking their path.

"Back the other way!" Jason ordered as a spear missed his head. He pulled it out of the wall and handed it to Ninjor. "If that thing back there is made of the same metal, this might hurt it." For some reason given that their Blade Blasters had proven ineffective against the WD Units, he reckoned the javelin would be their only chance.

"Jase, this wall is hollow," Zack called, pointed to a hole one of the WD Units had just punched in metal sides of the corridor.

"Right," Jason said, an idea starting to form. "When I blast the wall, everybody go through and get as far away from the hole as possible. Zack and I will hold them off and hope that Centaurian is programmed to clear out all intruders.

Jason blasted the wall, cutting a man-size hole for the Rangers to climb through. Then while he and Zack blanketed the area with blaster fire, the others spread themselves around what turned out to be a storeroom; Ninjor had vanished in a puff of smoke. Using the rows of shelves as a way to slow the WD Units should they gain access, the Rangers waited.

The Blade Blaster fire did little to slow the WD Units. Not did the shots seem to phase the Centaurian as it ripped its way into the corridor. Luckily though when the Centaurian and the WD Units met, the security droid failed to recognise its allies and attacked...

What followed was a brutal battle. The Centaurian had been designed to be multi functional and carried an array of weapons. Between its sharp saw blades, plasma cutters and brute strength it cut, torched and bullied its way through the opposition. One of the WD Units managed to knock it onto its back, but the giant insect body just shifted position and stood straight back up.

As it ripped the head from the last WD Unit and made its way toward the hole in the wall, Ninjor reappeared, on its back. The half-ant half-humanoid machine struggled against the blue clad Morphin Master, but Ninjor allowed himself to grow, pinning the machine down.

"Now Rangers," he suggested as Jason and Zack fired at the Centaurian's head.

The machine showed no sign of damage and retaliated with its own blasts. One of its arms broke free and managed to grab Zack.

"Ninjor, I'm not the one with the armour," Zack yelled.

"I hate killing, but I cannot allow you to kill an innocent," Ninjor said as he drove the javelin he had been given early into the Centaurian's head. It didn't stop the monstrous creature, but it did break the interference, allowing the Rangers and their mentor to teleport away.

* * *

"So are we all agreed?"

It had been a surprise when Trey and Travis had arrived. The Rangers had been on the verge of leaving on a suicide mission. But the appearance of Pyramidas changed their plans. The mission would still be dangerous, but with luck they would survive.

Trey nodded solemnly. "Risky, but worth a try."

"We will have to ensure that you spend as little time inside as possible," Travis agreed.

"All right guys, we can do this," Tommy encouraged.

"Right!" the others agreed before separating. Rocky however did not follow them immediately.

"You know your part in all this is not risk free," he remarked.

In seemed in the heat of the moment everybody had been so concerned about Tommy's safety that they had overlooked the fact that the plan hinged on Minion firing on Trey while he was outside of his Zord.

Trey didn't reply; he had obviously realised that this scheme could lead to his death. Perhaps that was why he had insisted that Travis pilot the Wolf Zord into battle.

"Just be safe," Rocky said. There was a lot left unsaid, mutual respect between trusted comrades.

"You too Rocky," Trey replied before readying himself for action.

* * *

"Closing in on Serpenterra now," Trey advised as he fired a blast at the monstrous machine's tail.

That caught Minion's attention and the rematch was underway, Pyramidas skimming over the massive machine's back and even attempting to land. Serpenterra jerked around and Pyramidas had to take off again, but not before nailing one of the panels at close range.

Pyramidas twisted and dove through the atmosphere, its shape making the Zord difficult to direct. A lucky shot from one of Serpenterra's antler damaged the flight systems, causing the Carrier Zord to plunge.

"Get ready," Trey told his passengers. "Release."

A door opened in the side of the pyramid and the Ninja emerged. Trey's Zord had been able to repair some of the damage, making the other Zord operational again. Like a giant flee, it leapt onto the back of Serpenterra and started to cause as much damage as possible.

"Power Sword!" the Rangers called, hoping to use the energised blade to cut through the armoured plate.

* * *

"The Rangers, where did they come from?" Minion demanded.

They should have been dead; his agent had planted enough explosives to turn Power Mountain into a small hill. Even if they had had the protection of the Morphin Grid or the Zeo Crystal they would have been destroyed by the blast. And how had they been able to transform when he was certain that the Gem Coin generators had been destroyed?

~Perhaps Trey had something to do with their survival,~ he mused. It was an amazing coincidence that the Gold Ranger had decided to make an appearance around the time that the Rangers' miraculously survived his guaranteed plot to kill them. He paused. No, it seemed only the Gem Coin Rangers had survived, or were there different faces under those helmets?

Serpenterra shook as the Zords continued their attack but it pleased him that their actions were verging on desperation. They were also futile, which he proved by shaking the Ninja from Serpenterra's back.

"Lock onto the Ninja and fire," he instructed. "Then find whatever's left of Pyramidas and destroy that too."

Brasso and Silvo obeyed, but it seemed the Ninja was playing a new game of hide and seek by ducking out of the way each time Brasso locked on to fire. When they were finally in position, the Ninja just hovered defiantly in their path, almost blocking the view.

"Fire!" Minion ordered.

At this range it would be impossible for him not to destroy the Ninja with a single hit. That would put the Rangers in their place. He didn't notice the small burst of energy as the Rangers abandoned their machine.

One more time the Ninja was struck by a wave of highly destructive energy. But it was not Serpenterra's weapon that had struck it; it was a Gold Rush. The Ninja exploded, pummelling Serpenterra with debris, tearing into the armoured skin and shattering the forward sensors. The machine was virtually blind and forced to rely on radar.

"He's firing again," Brasso warned as the Gold Ranger fired, leading Minion to the conclusion that he had been tricked. The Ninja had been a decoy to draw Serpenterra into the firing path. He had to commend the Rangers since this was the first real damage Serpenterra had suffered since Minion had taken control of it.

"Severe damage to Section Seventeen," Silvo reported.

"How is that possible?" Minion asked. "That section is nowhere near the cockpit."

"Damage is spreading," Silvo added.

Minion was silent, wondering how they could have caused so much damage. Then it clicked into place.

"Show me those sections," he ordered. "External view."

Silvo obeyed, bringing them up on the screen for him to see.

"Tommy!" Minion growled angrily as he caught sight of the Red Battlezord blasting its way through the innards of his beloved machine. Any Ranger could have used the Red Gem Coin powers, but the fact the Red Battlezord was there without Billy or Alpha to reconfigure the brainwave algorithms meant Tommy had to be alive.

A second shot showed the Gem Coin Rangers using their pistols to cause as much damage as possible; the third camera had time to reveal the drilling machine they had used to break in before it was shattered.

* * *

"Gattling Cannons, fire!" Zeo Falcon ordered.

The Red Battlezord started pumping blast after blast of energy into the surrounding area as the Rangers retreated. He knew there was no way he could destroy the machine, but he was hoping to give Minion a hefty repair bill. The walls and roof disappeared as Serpenterra's jaws pierced its own body in an attempt to remove the intruder. Tommy took advantage by firing at the machine's head, trying to get a shot into the firing chamber.

But it was not to be. Even with a significant portion of its structure decimated either by the Red Battlezord, the Rangers or Minion's attempt to eject the intruders, Serpenterra remained operational.

"Trey, do it now," Tommy urged.

* * *

The Lord of Triforia did not need to be told twice. He teleported back to Pyramidas and taking advantage of the distraction the others were providing positioned his Zord on the monstrous machine's back. Pyramidas was small in comparison to Serpenterra, but the pyramid had enough power to cause the larger Zord to deviate from its course. Silvo promptly made adjustments, but it was an added distraction as the Rangers continued to tear up the insides of the machine.

"You are cleared to launch, Travis," Trey advised.

Shielded from Serpenterra's weapons by the pyramid's bulk, Travis launched his Viper, knowing that the small fighter could easily avoid the large machine's defences. Travis had one task as he flew around the body, taking occasional precision shots: to shoot out as many of Serpenterra's external sensor arrays as possible.

Serpenterra dropped suddenly, as a blast ripped through its hull and caused damage to the propulsion system. Backup units kicked in and restored normal flight. Even so Serpenterra was limping and in desperate need of repairs and the success of Trey and Travis's attempts to throw them off course was starting to show.

"Let us depart," Trey suggested as Serpenterra shook again.

"Roger," Travis responded. He landed his Viper and took control of Pyramidas, flying the Zord to a safe distance while Trey teleported to join the other Rangers inside.

* * *

Tommy moved the Red Battlezord onward toward the cockpit, constantly firing, hoping that he could hit something that would destroy the machine. Unfortunately his shots failed to hit any vital systems and he had yet to find the Zeo Crystal. Still, his Zord's weapons had managed to destroy a small generator and had ripped out a large section of hull in the process.

The other Rangers had been moving through the tail section of the mighty Zord, looking for the power core or an auxiliary control room. As they moved along the gantries, they tried to blast any dormant WD Units before they could be activated.

"How much longer Adam?" Tommy asked.

Zeo Frog checked his readings against the estimates that had been drawn up years before. It was hoped that causing enough damage would throw Serpenterra into a regeneration cycle, requiring it to return to the Moon. Of course that only worked if they disconnected the Zeo Crystal first.

"More than we can manage," he finally admitted.

"Okay guys, abandon ship, I'll finish up here," Tommy promised.

"We will finish up here," Trey corrected. "Just as we planned."

While Tommy had been talking to Adam, Trey had been connecting the Golden Power Staff to the Red Battlezord's weapon systems. They waited until the other Rangers were clear and then turned their aim towards Serpenterra's back section.

"I call on the power of the Golden Power Staff!" Trey cried, invoking the power directly as Tommy activated the Red Battlezord's weapons.

The combined energy ripped the hands off the Battlezord as it unleashed an unimaginable blast of explosive energy. It ripped through Serpenterra, punching holes in the armour as it swallowed anything in its path. While it wasn't enough to destroy Serpenterra, the onslaught ripped away the insides. As the pressure increased the blast ruptured sending a huge chunk of the rear section and the tail fell onto the ground, the WD Units inside mangled beyond repair.

* * *

Minion had had enough and decided to remove the intruders personally. He had not spent all that time charging his super weapon just to have some multicolored humans to destroy it. And it seemed that blowing off the tail section had only encouraged them to continue their attack. The Red Battlezord's weapons had been compromised, but its powerful fists were still capable of pulverising the support structure.

The WD Units he had sent to stop the Rangers' advance had proven ineffective, the Red Battlezord's size advantage and the close quarters meant they could not combine their forces.

"Take us up to sixty thousand feet," he ordered.

"Master, Serpenterra is not pressurised," Silvo warned him.

"Use the forcefield to pressurise it, fool!" Minion snarled back. "Must Minion think of everything?"

That was the problem with simulated intelligence: it sometimes lacked the ability to adapt and respond spontaneously. Still, Silvo was obedient and followed Minion's instructions precisely. Serpenterra shook as it struggled to follow the new course and the Red Battlezord shattered yet another part of the flight control system.

"Sixty thousand foot and holding steady," Brasso reported.

"Release the rear forcefield," he ordered. He was going to blow the Rangers out of his Zord and then go back to destroying Washington.

Silvo did as ordered and the monstrous machine was almost torn apart.

* * *

The sudden loss of pressure tore anything not secured to the ground and attempted to throw it through a hole that had suddenly doubled in size after the first few objects had torn their way through. The Red Battlezord fought to hold on, but the forces at work were immense and if that was not enough, there was the additional force of other debris that hit their machine on the way out.

"We have one more shot," Trey guessed.

"Let's do it!" Tommy agreed.

If they were going out it would not be in the way that Minion expected. The Zord launched itself along the corridor, spinning like a drill as it fought the suction and tried to cause as much damage as possible, all the way to the cockpit.

"We are not going to make it," Trey reported.

"Adam, what's the reading?" Tommy asked.

"You're almost there," Zeo Frog answered.

Zeo Falcon nodded and changed course, ripping through the floor on the way out and hoping the addition damage would push the safety limits Zedd had incorporated in Serpenterra's design. As the Red Battlezord exited the metal monster, the Rangers ejected, hoping that the Red Battle Zord's control program would allow it to touch down safely. Then they joined their friends on the ground.

* * *

Minion had not anticipated the Rangers' actions. Their attacks had seemed to him illogical, but as the alarm sounded and his henchmen reported zero control, Minion understood the Rangers had been trying to force the machine to enter a shutdown cycle and return to the Moon. If that happened, he would lose control of Serpenterra, not that it was much use in its current condition.

"Master, should I disconnect the Zeo Crystal?" Silvo asked.

Yes, that would be the logical thing to do, save the Zeo Crystal, which could still be used, and leave Serpenterra for dead. Still, he would make the Rangers pay for ruining his plans. His armies were still overwhelming the Armed Forces and in the end nothing would stop him. And the Rangers? The Rangers were tired, exhausted from their ordeal. Now would be the perfect time to strike at them.

"Secure the Crystal," he said finally as the ground came racing toward them. "We're leaving."

He reappeared on the ground and watched angrily as the once mighty Serpenterra turned away from the Earth, its metal body glowing red as it continued to burn. It would survive, Zedd had built it to withstand the strongest attacks. While the Rangers had attacked in an unexpected way and had benefited from the lack of internal armour, they had not counted on its repair systems.

And speaking of the Rangers, he was pleased to see they had not managed to get away with their foolhardy assault unscathed. They had exhausted whatever powers they had been using and their Zords were barely functional. Their modified Gem Coin were straining to maintain their morphs as they slumped on the edge of a crater as Minion closed in.

There was nothing fancy about his attack; he used the Zeo Crystal to generate a large ball of energy that he hurled at the unsuspecting teens. When the smoke cleared it was obvious that he had won.

"And so it ends," Minion said, his foot resting on Tommy's back, turning his toe from side to side and causing the Red Ranger to hiss in pain. "Minion emerges all powerful and you Rangers gain no reward for your efforts. This won't even be painless... or quick. I assure you though, it will be final."

He turned, sensing a movement but unable to make out the red blur that was heading in his direction.

"Inconceivable!" Minion exclaimed, bringing his arms up to block the blow. But the Gold Ranger's fury was uncontrollable; he would not be stopped by anyone. Trey had not expended as much energy as Tommy during the battle onboard Serpenterra and his anger at seeing his friends hurt so callously drove him onward.

~What in hell . . .?~

It was an agony for Tommy to push himself up on his elbows, twisting still more the wound that Minion had taken such pleasure in aggravating, but Tommy did it anyhow, compelled upward by some bizarre intuition. He could feel a startling blaze of power nearby, but unfamiliar. He stared in shock as the Gold Ranger continued to drive fists and feet into his foe.

Trey had somehow managed to increase the power of the Gold Ranger. ~No,~ Tommy realised as he watched, ~he's found a way to contain the power of a Gold Rush.~ His body glowed gold, but that was just from the energy.

The Lord of Triforia was grunted as he swung the Golden Power Staff like a hammer, shattering the Sword of Darkness as he attacked Minion relentlessly; his aura blazed around him like a massive bonfire. The ground was shaking with the force of hiss attacks, sending cracks throughout the range as he steadily began to drive Minion deeper into the far side of the crater; Tommy realized abruptly that the tremors had also been caused in part by the explosive surge of Trey's power. There was just one problem, it could not last.

The Gold Rush had not been intended for this sort of use and as such the attack was starting to lose its potency. Trey was so obsessed with keeping the villain off balance that he seemed not to notice either the fact that his blows were doing no serious damage, or the cruel smile that had appeared on Minion's face. The villain was allowing himself to be attacked, apparently finding Trey amusing. Tommy felt a wave of panic pass through him; the Gold Ranger was in trouble.

He tested his limbs; although his broken right arm hung limp at his side and the hole in his chest was bleeding his life away, he wasn't dead yet, he still had some strength left. Enough, at least, to help his friend.

"Guys," he said, turning to where the other Gem Coin Rangers lay in various states of poor health; ~Minion did a number on us this time.~ "We need to help Trey."

His statement was met with moans and complaints. It wasn't their fault really, Tommy was probably in better health than most of his team following Minion's blast. Adam and Rocky managed to pull themselves to their feet, leaning on each other for support, Rocky grimacing as he tried to stand on his injured leg. They in turn pulled Tanya to her feet where she remained unsteadily. She had taken her helmet off, allowing her to pull the sharp material from her skull. She looked worse than she felt, unlike Kat who was nursing a broken left arm.

"Incoming!" Rocky warned as the Gold Ranger was thrown backward as Minion seized control of the battle.

Trey landed with a dull thud, his powers fading as he lost consciousness. A second stream of energy hit the ground meters from where he had landed as Minion emerged from the hole.

"You can have this victory Rangers," he told them. "Next time we meet, I will des..."

He stopped, clutching his head to stop the throbbing. Trey had damaged him more than he was willing to admit.

"Come on guys," Tommy encouraged. "We need to take him. Back to Action!"

They charged forward, unwilling to just sit back and allow Minion to finish the job. Their Gem Coin Blasters fired but proved ineffective against the villain's defences. Minion was too distracted to return favour and teleported away before they could reach him. They had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

* * *

Angel Grove,

Hours later.

Assessing the outcome of the battle had taken time and in the end the Rangers had more questions than answers. They had clearly won; the Elemental Beasts had been destroyed, Serpenterra had limped back to the Moon and Minion had retreated. At the same time though the cost of the victory had been astronomical.

The Zeo Crystal was still in Minion's possession. Exactly how Minion had managed not to drop it while fending off Trey's attack was unclear, but all the Rangers had accepted that they needed to retrieve the crystal sooner rather than later. They needed it back, along with Zordon; the White Master was their guide and mentor to a point where even Ninjor could not replace him. Tommy hoped they could restore the link with his dimension although how they expect to do so was still unclear.

Then there was the Red Battlezord, which had barely escaped destruction following a rough landing. The bypassing of its functions to work without the Zeo powers had damaged some of the fail-safes, which would need fixing before it could be used again. That along with the loss of the Sky, Defender and Techno Zords placed even greater limits upon the Rangers, especially against larger threats.

If there was anything that summed up how lucky the Rangers' victory had been, it was a brief walk through the ruins of Angel Grove. The buildings and land damaged during the fighting had not returned to their previous states like they had during previous battles and Ninjor had hinted that the Rangers would need to seek out another method of making things right. Some areas were worse than others; elemental blood had proven corrosive during the Rangers' early battle with Water Elemental Beast. The same blood also proved poisonous to humans after prolonged exposure. Some buildings, especially in Angel Grove were in need of serious facelifts. But that was nothing compared to one section of the city that had been so badly damaged that it would be out of use for a long time as emergency workers tried to stabilise the area.

Rocky had been hospitalised with a broken back and other injuries. Billy had been lucky that despite his wounds he was judged well enough to go home; in truth there had been so many injuries that the hospital was just too full to hold him. Without Power Mountain's medical facilities, both were forced to heal the slow way.

Even outside of Angel Grove the carnage was easily visible; the trail of destruction left by Serpenterra had been extensive and many lives had been lost.

For the first time in three days the people dared to leave the safety of the monster shelters. Every opportunity had been taken to keep families together during the battle, but in a city the size of Angel Grove it had been difficult to unite everybody. Now those reunions were taking place, followed closely by warm showers to erase the evidence of three days without ample washing facilities.

Detective Park returned to his home and went to bed. This was his first real rest since the Elemental Beasts had appeared. Before doing so he ensured his wife and sons were okay, taking extra time to embrace his oldest son who had been missing during the attacks having taken shelter with friends. Adam and his father had only recently started to rebuild their relationship after Trevor learnt his son was a Power Ranger. Tonight the father was glad that his son had made it home safely.

That night the Rangers had gone their separate ways, promising to meet first thing in the morning. At that time they would find a way to set things right and hopefully find a way to help Rocky. They needed to recover the Zeo Crystal and restore contact with Zordon. Yes, they had survived their greatest challenge so far, but even Tommy had to admit that in their current state there was no such thing as an easy battle anymore.

* * *

A secret location, USA

Serpenterra reared back and unleashed a devastating blast, turning the airbase into a crater. There had been no survivors as it had fired twice more to be certain.

"Stop playback," Nick Fury ordered, "we've seen enough and we all know what happens next. Opinions Gentlemen?"

General Galt leaned back after shuffling some papers. "I have said for years that leaving the protection of this planet in the hands of civilians is a dangerous decision. Now as you can see the price has been too high to calculate."

Several heads around the table nodded, General Norquist being one of the few exceptions. This was an old debate between the generals whose jurisdiction crossed the boundary lines of several countries. Norquist believed that the Rangers were their allies and that their job should be to provide assistance in time of need. General Galt was a firm believer that the military should handle all defence matters and that the Rangers should be under military control.

"Thousands of lives were lost in this attack," Norquist said. "But you cannot argue that the Rangers showed all the professionalism and dedication of our forces."

"No, no I cannot," the other agreed. "But can you argue that if they had been under military control they would have had the extra support to end the encounter sooner?"

"This recent encounter does present us with an opportunity," General Braxus, Head of Research and Development offered. He clicked a button and the screen showed several sites. "This is our first opportunity since the Oregon project to study this sort of technology."

"I agree," McKnight offered, causing the others to look at him suspiciously. He was known not to trust Braxus, a man who had a less than perfect track record. McKnight was many things, but above all he was loyal. "I propose we schedule the work with an outside agency, say Wayne Tech or Stark Enterprises."

Norquist tried to keep a straight face as he watched McKnight, a man he respected despite their disagreements over certain policies scupper any plans Braxus might have for the technology.

"I also propose the recruitment and training regime for Operation Lightspeed be accelerated."

Ah, Operation Lightspeed, one of McKnight's special interests. The project was under outside control, but the general took an extra interest in the technology and personnel. He had tried several times to shift the project toward a more military application.

"I agree," Norquist agreed. "Had Lightspeed been active over the last few days many of the casualties suffered here might have survived. However, I insist that Captain Mitchell and his team maintain control of the project and that this committee meets before any changes are made to Lightspeed's operations."

A vote was taken and passed. Unsurprisingly General McKnight looked pleased with the outcome while Galt had a speculative look on his face, no doubt wondering whether he could bring his own people in on the project. Norquist took careful note of all this but said little. He would need to watch the others carefully because while he truly believed McKnight's only agenda was to make Operation Lightspeed a success, Galt was known to have several side projects and nobody was certain of his overall agenda.

"Very well, it seems we are in agreement that there need to be changes. Effective immediately, Captain Mitchell and his team are to begin working on Operation Lightspeed. Secondly, after their initial success the Avengers were given some independence. That decision is reversed; an executive order was delivered earlier for the Avengers, JLA and Teen Titans to cease all operations inside the United States. Further actions will be taken to ensure compliance. Finally, work on Project Corps is to be given top priority until further notice. That gentlemen will be all."

* * *

Serpenterra crashed down onto the surface of the Moon, burying the remains of its metal body in the dusty rocks. The trip had exhausted its power requirements and without the Zeo Crystal to fuel its repair systems, the machine could only shut down and await its master's decision to make repairs. But this time repairs would not be forthcoming. In a fit of anger over what Minion had allowed to happen to his precious machine, Zedd buried the remains of his Zord, promising to find a new and more powerful weapon to use in the future.

This had not been Zedd's loss; it had been Minion who had failed to destroy the Rangers. Although to his credit, the clone had managed to get rid of Zordon and that annoying Alpha. The loss of the majority of their Zords and the headquarters would also make the Rangers more vulnerable in future confrontations.

Already a plan was in motion to take advantage of all that had happened. The Rangers had been weakened and the Earth was there for the taking. He just had to make sure that when all was said and done, he would be the one to claim victory.

* * *

Minion's Island, Gulf of Mexico.

He crawled along the rocky beach, the sharp stones tearing at his skin. He had been bested, but he would survive. His broken body would heal and he could be proud of the fact that the Rangers were unaware just how badly they had hurt him. His mind, unhinged by his recent experience would remain a matter of debate for some time to come. He would rise again. His grasp on the living world was fragile, maintained by an overwhelming desire for vengeance and a bond of existence he couldn't begin to understand.

Around him a storm was raging, lightning flashed in the sky as Minion clawed his way back to his fortress, cursing that Silvo and Brasso had not thought to look for him. The rain caused him to slip and slide as he continued his painstakingly slow progress.

In the distance he saw something walking toward him, the lightning illuminating the silver highlights on the otherwise black costume. Minion reached towards the figure, which ignored his gesture and prodded him with its boot. A second prod and Minion rolled onto his back, staring up at the opportunist who was about to take advantage of his weakness.

"If this is what has become of the mighty Minion I am disappointed," the figure proclaimed before moving aside to allow a second figure, this one obviously the muscle of the pair emerged from the darkness and with a swift movement, swung the battered clone over his shoulder as the pair walked away. "No matter, when I am finished with you, failure will not be an option."

End of Part


	21. Lerigot's Greatest Trick

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Lerigot's Greatest Trick

The wizard Lerigot had enjoyed a long life. He had travelled, made good friends that he would trust with his life and had married a wonderful woman. He had a beautiful family that he would do anything to protect and while not the man wizard on his planet, he was comfortable with how his life had progressed.

He was a tall man, with a long white beard flowing down over his scarlet robes. Despite the white hair his dark eyes sparkled with life. He was easily as old as Lexian of Edenoi and Zordon, and just as energetic. He liked his human form; it was a very comfortable body. And now, past his prime and ready to enjoy a well-deserved retirement, he was ready to undertake the last of his duties.

It had long been a tradition for the wizards of his planet to perform three great deeds before they renounced their magic and enjoyed their declining years. In Lerigot's case it had been very difficult to find deeds that truly challenged his abilities. He had performed many great feats over the years, so the traditional challenge was even more troublesome. How could you compete with imprisoning a demonic creature and sealing him away on an island in a dimensional rift?

He had already decided upon one of the deeds he would try to perform. Many years ago a good friend and ally had been trapped in a time warp by a treacherous witch. He was going to free his friend and give him a chance to return to his home planet, perhaps even reunite with those he had left behind; Zordon would never know how much pain he had caused his family when he had been forced to leave them, it was a hurt that only Zedd's offspring could understand. ~And look what became of him, I bet Zedd fumed for weeks after discovering his son had become a Ranger.~

That was a task for another time though. The alignment of the planets had to be perfect if he wanted Zordon to return as a physical body and not the spiritual form he sometimes managed. For now he was concentrating on another of his great deeds. Energy flowed around the five-sectioned console before him. He had wanted to create a team of ten Rangers, his gift to a war-torn universe, but finding a way for those devices to work together had proven impossible.

"This is a unique application of magic," he said, dictating to a small recording stone. "The immense energy channelled into the 'keys' will allow them to be self-replenishing. The second part of the key contains a programmable template that stores and regulates the powers. The addition of a dual coil accelerates the energy making these powers highly suited for reconnaissance and speed; unfortunately they will be limited in terms of pure power."

This was Lerigot in his element, a screwdriver in one hand and his magical key in the other. It was pure techno-magic performed by a master of what was becoming a lost art. And here he was, creating devices to help those that the Council deemed unworthy and perhaps bring a little hope to the cosmos.

He was almost finished and just needed to find a home for his gift to the forces of Good. Moving over to the transmitter he tried to send a signal but found the signal was blocked by other traffic on the communication system. That meant he had a choice: wait for the signal to clear or go to visit his friend Zordon in person; the most respected hero of the Grid Wars was bound to know the best place to put the powers to use.

~I'll wait,~ he thought. ~I hate the side effects of travelling!~

It was almost comical that Lerigot the powerful wizard, got travel sick after a few hundred light years.

"Father!" Bethel shouted from outside the room.

"In here," Lerigot replied.

"Where?"

*The workshop,* he sent back telepathically. *You don't need to shout.*

He shook his head and waited for his daughter to join him. She appeared to be in her twenties, but in real terms she was an infant. Their race lived so long that they could afford to remain young, innocent and childlike at least until they were fifty. He smiled at her as she walked in. Wearing a long white gown with her blonde hair-tied back she reminded Lerigot of why he had fallen in love with her mother. He could tell from her face that something was wrong.

*What is it?* he asked.

*I felt something. It was a long way off, but I could sense a dark cloud of evil travelling towards us.*

Lerigot frowned. Like all of her people Bethel was telepathic, but since she was still young and her talent untrained she had a greater range than most of her race, but lacked the ability to zero in on the source. Still, if she had sensed something approaching and it had made her this nervous, he was not going to ignore it.

*Which direction did the feeling come from?* He asked.

Bethel pointed and her father nodded silently. Holding his magic key he closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, trying to touch the Universe beyond. There, just on the edge of perception was the black cloud his daughter had described. But it was not a cloud; it was a fleet of ships that belonged to the self-proclaimed queen, Divatox.

*Yara!* Lerigot called mentally. *She is coming!*

His wife was at his side and quickly they prepared to ensure the new morphers were placed outside the pirate's reach. Not that Divatox was coming for the morphers and both Lerigot and his wife knew it. She was after Lerigot himself, no doubt planning to use him during this time when his magic was so potent to undo his work and free her beloved Maligore.

Using their powers, Yara and Lerigot created a large space pod. Inside they place the five morphers. With little time Lerigot quickly programmed the ship to find Zordon and warn him of Divatox's arrival. He had no choice; it had to be Earth since that was the only access point Divatox could use to gain entry to Muiranthias. However at the present time even that doorway was closed to her unless she gained control of his magic key. Then instead of waiting for the dimensions to align and the doorway to open, she would be able to make her own.

"It is a good thing that only you can align the key," his wife said and he nodded. Without him, there was no way the false queen would fulfil her selfish dreams of freeing Maligore - for Lerigot did not delude himself for a moment that there was any love between the demon and his fiancé, except perhaps Divatox's love of wealth and power. He considered destroying the key knowing that so long it survived there would be a way to break through, but he couldn't bring himself to do so and rob Zordon of his chance for freedom.

*Launch the ship,* he told Yara. *I will slow Divatox's fleet.*

In a flash of white smoke he was gone, leaving Yara and Bethel to carry out his wishes. Divatox was bad news. She was a ruthless villain that allied herself with pirates to achieve her aims and would stop at nothing to get her way. And on top of all that, she hated Lerigot. He was the one responsible for her future husband's imprisonment and only the magic key could release him. Yara knew nothing would stop Divatox from taking the key.

Worse still was the news she had convinced one of the pirate chiefs to lend her a fleet of ships in return for the right to share in any spoils. And it appeared that the decision carried the support of the entire clan since she had been given two War-Class frigates; planetary bombardment was the favourite method of the pirates when it came to weakening planetary defences. It was something Lerigot wanted to avoid but somehow doubted that was possible.

* * *

"Captain Mutiny, we await your command," Barbarax, first mate of the SS Mutiny announced.

"As soon as we are in position, raid the planet," the captain instructed.

"Wait!" Divatox commanded, her voice travelling over the radio from her own small vessel. "Destroy, rape, pillage, kill... I don't care what you do to the planet, but I want Lerigot alive."

"You heard the Queen," the Captain growled.

"Aye!" Barabarax replied.

On board her craft, Divatox studied the planet below, remembering the day that she had learnt of her fiancé. He had been a powerful demon until he came to Liaria. There he had challenged the native wizards to a battle on the planet's surface, certain he could destroy them. The wizards, Lerigot's ancestors, had accepted the challenge and though Maligore had used every trick he knew to destroy the Liarian wizards, they had been able to draw on the power of his entire planet to repel the invasion.

The struggle was said to have lasted for days, with neither gaining a clear advantage until finally the native wizards had gained the upper hand and used their power to imprison Maligore in a wall of light. Once they had won; there was no need for further battle since the wall cut Maligore off from his source of power, causing a backlash deep within his soul. Flames had burst from Maligore's body as he was consumed by his own darkness. Instead of lifting the spell, the wizards had sent Maligore to the heart of a volcano in another dimension and had then sealed the doorways to prevent his return.

It had taken many years to discover that the last gateway to Muiranthias was on Earth, which only opened once every seven years through a doorway opened by Liaria's Golden Key, currently in the possession of Lerigot. The wizards had indeed spared Maligore's life, but only after imprisoning him for eternity. And that had left Divatox without the power she wanted. She renewed her vow that when she had finished with Lerigot he would know the true meaning of the word suffering.

~That annoying wizard thinks he can stop me from reaching Maligore, but he forgets who he is dealing with. I wonder how long it will take him to remember once I level his pathetic planet?~

"Give me a close up of the planet!" she shouted at her chief scientist, Porto.

Her craft was a primitive shuttle compared to the pirate ships, but it was the best her brother would build her at the time; while Divatox fancied herself a queen of evil, her family were busy building their own empire.

"Yes my Captain," Porto said.

On the screen appeared the image of the Liaria. Slowly the scanners closed in on Lerigot to show him high on the top of his home.

"There he is," Divatox said, the venom evident in her voice. "And he's got the key with him as well. Elgar, Rygog! Get down there and grab him before those stupid pirates open fire!"

* * *

Lerigot found himself on the highest point of Liaria looking up at the sky above. After consulting with his race and gaining their telepathic permission to do everything necessary to prevent Divatox freeing Maligore, he had launched the ship into space.

Now he had to stop Divatox taking his world. The magic key was indestructible, but the lack of a Liarian would slow her down. Reaching deep down into himself Lerigot started to focus his peoples energy. More energy added as the minds he touched drew power from their neighbours. Slowly an overlapping web of pure energy was created with Lerigot as its focus. The Power filled him, but he ignored the sensations of pleasure he felt. They were not important. What was important was that his people were becoming pure energy and joining him.

Lerigot soon passed the point where the energy threatened to destroy him; he had gone too far to stop safely. This would be his greatest feat, something that would leave his audience begging for more.

"Be gone!" he shouted.

He channelled the energy from his magic key and directed it at the pirate fleet, ignoring Divatox for the time being. The blast struck the armada head on, pushing the ships away. Engines overloaded as the fleet was violently shoved aside. The weaker ships disintegrated on contact and soon only Divatox's tiny vessel was left as the others were pushed thousands on light years away.

Then the planet was still, its people extinct. High on a mountain stood Lerigot, or at least what was left of him. His scarlet robe still shone in the daylight and his hand held the key he had used to overcome the fleet. But that was all that remained, his skin had been stripped along with the muscles and cartilage. Smoke rose from his charred body, which started to sway in the light breeze.

"Hey, there he is!" Elgar shouted as he ran up to the remains of the wizard. "He looks thinner than I remember."

"He's dead you imbecile!" Rygog shouted. "The key is gone too. Let's get out of here!"

* * *

Divatox listened as an underling ran through the list of repairs needed before they could get mobile again. It seemed that while the Subcraft had been spared the onslaught, it had been damaged by the debris from another vessel. Worse, it appeared Lerigot had ruined her immediate plans even though she had succeeded. The wizard had stolen her victory and that blasted pirate Mutiny was nowhere to be seen.

"My Queen, I have important news," Porto announced.

"What is it?" she asked testily.

"Lerigot is still alive."

"WHAT?!"

Porto took a step back as the villainess advanced on him.

"It seems that the whole turning himself into a corpse was an illusion. He escaped while we were watching him attack the other ships."

"I don't know whether to strangle you or kiss you," Divatox said finally. "Find him. I don't care where he went. Find him and get me that key."

It seemed that her moment of triumph had been delayed, but only for a little while. Sooner or later Porto would manage to trace the runaway wizard and then her plans would resume.

"I can wait," she decided. In the meantime she would have some fun. "Set course for Nintega!" She had always enjoyed the Games Planet.

* * *

Victory had proven costly, escape had not been without sacrifice. The only way for his people to leave the planet undetected had been to alter themselves genetically. Gone were the human bodied people of Liaria and in their place remained a dwarf-like race of furballs. That was not the worst of it though. The children, those under fifty, had been changed into children; Bethel was a baby again. And there was nothing they could do, the changes were irreversible.

Still they had escaped Divatox and they would find a new home. They were on their way to find Zordon, using Lerigot's key to jump from one planet to another. No matter the cost this was a fight they could not afford to lose.

*Father, she knows,* Bethel told him, crying as she did so.

Lerigot and Yara exchanged looks before making another planet jump. It seemed their ordeal wasn't over yet.

**End **


	22. The Need for Vengeance

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any other show. They belong to their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Need for Vengeance

The Vortex, Outside of Time and Space

Not many could claim to be able to survive in the Vortex, a vast network that crisscrossed the various universes, dimensions and planes that made up existence. Fortunately, his vessel allowed him to hover endlessly in the void while he decided what to do next. Technically it was illegal to undertake any task in this area where time was irrelevant, though he had never been one of those characters known to follow the rules.

While the forces representing Good and Evil got most of the attention in the Universe, it was often forgotten that there were others with very different motivations lurking just beyond it boundaries. To these beings good and evil were irrelevant as they sought to fulfil their desires. Some enjoyed spreading chaos among the lesser beings and tormenting others for their own amusement, still more wanted little more than a Universe where there was order, and stagnation. Then there were those who merely deemed themselves to be beyond such petty concepts. Among these races the interference in the affairs of lesser beings was frowned upon. Using their magnificent powers for either good or evil was grounds for execution. Throughout history they had remained isolated, protecting only their self-interests and heartlessly ignoring the suffering of neighbouring worlds.

The Master was one of these superior beings, a dangerous renegade whose existence had been carefully hidden from his own people. His activities whether they were good deeds or foul acts, were motivated purely by his own greed. He didn't want order like some members of his race though; he wanted power. Normally his plans were elaborate and often required him to ally himself with others. Over time he had learnt that there was always a chance that his plans would fail and that even his backup plans were not guaranteed to succeed.

This time was different. He had learnt from his past mistakes and having managed to once again steal himself a body; he had set multiple plans into motion that promised him the chance to rule above all others, as he believed he should. To that end he had sought out an alliance with a being that while more powerful than him, needed something only he could provide.

It was a scheme that crisscrossed through time and space; a cosmic treasure hunt for a prize only one of his genius could comprehend. This wasn't about Earth or the Universe; when he had taken what he needed, he would move on, leaving the lesser beings to their petty wars. The search alone had taken a century, but it would be worth it when at last he could reap the rewards.

* * *

Minion's Island, Gulf of Mexico.

He crawled along the rocky beach, the sharp stones tearing at his skin. He had been bested, but he would survive. His broken bones would heal and his weeping wounds would close. His mind, unhinged by his recent experience would remain a matter of debate for some time to come. He would rise again. His grasp on the living world was fragile, maintained by an overwhelming desire for vengeance and a bond he couldn't begin to understand.

Around him a storm was raging, lightning flashed in the sky as Minion clawed his way back to his fortress, cursing that Silvo and Brasso had not thought to look for him. The rain caused him to slip and slide as he continued his painstakingly slow progress.

In the distance he saw something walking toward him, the lightning illuminating the silver highlights on the otherwise black costume. Minion reached towards the figure, which ignored his gesture and prodded him with its boot. A second prod and Minion rolled onto his back, staring up at the opportunist who was about to take advantage of his weakness.

"And so the mighty Minion had been reduced to crawling on his belly," a voice chided. He didn't sound American.

Lightning illuminated the sky yet it revealed very little to Minion. His unexpected visitor obviously liked black. The polymer used to make his knee high boots and the leather from which his duster style coat and gauntlet gloves had been prepared, at least had been coated to reflect some light. His hair was black, short and appeared to have been trimmed in a military style; from the short beard it was clear that he was not actively serving. His skin looked sickly despite the residual evidence of a tan. His eyes were a deep brown and shifted alertly as he casually placed his foot on the fallen construct's body.

Minion struggled, determined to show who was boss, but following his confrontation with the Rangers he was too weak to do much besides flail under the other man's foot.

"I'm starting to wonder why Dagsyxx even considered you for this task," the man said as he pressed the tip of his boot into Minion's side. He allowed his foot to move until he saw the desired wince, then he pressed harder.

Minion's brain raced as he tried to make sense of what he was telling him, his mind trying unsuccessfully to grasp what was going on. He couldn't concentrate though as the pain prevented his brilliant mind from concentrating on the matter at hand.

"I must admit that after all I had heard about you, Minion, I am very disappointed," the man announced. "All that promise you must have shown combined with the power that Dagsyxx granted you, you should have been a god to these primitive apes." His companion growled something and he raised his hands in a placating gesture. "No offence towards your wonderful tribe, of course."

He must have seen the unmasked fury on Minion's face following the criticism. It was clear that whatever the Rangers had done, Minion had suffered badly. That made things easier since it appeared that even simple words confused him. And there was another emotion that the construct was trying to hide, but which he knew all too well. It was the emotion that gave him power over others regardless of their physical superiority; it was a part of the reason why his companion obeyed him without question. Oh of all the emotions the lesser being of the Universe possessed, fear was by far his favourite.

"I have been instructed to remind you of your place Minion," he said, bending down to place a device of some sort on the construct's forehead. Then he pressed a button on the remote control he had rigged and watched as the device worked its wonders. "Your punishment is not mine to give, I'll leave that to Dagsyxx. Enjoy your visit Minion." He turned to his companion. "Watch him carefully. I shall return shortly."

The ape thing grunted an acknowledgement as the man disappeared into a side room. The grinding of machinery could be heard as he departed for destinations unknown. Seconds later there was the sound of him returning. As with all his journeys, they took less than a minute, quickly returning before he was missed.

* * *

Onyx,

Weeks before

He stood before them enjoying the looks of annoyance on their faces. He assumed a nonchalant posture, knowing that it he needed to he could remove himself at a moment's notice; battling such a powerful group of villains would have been suicide. He had not lived as long as he had without learning that words were far more powerful weapons than fists.

"How dare you enter this chamber without permission?" the supposed leader of the Alliance, Maxell snarled. Or at least he tried to snarl. The Master had stood face to face with far scarier things and from the look of boredom on Rita's face; he was not the only one. He had seen and manipulated Maxell's type before. The man was a petty bureaucrat who had won his position through political means and of course the odd bribe. He would pretend to be impartial until his backers required a decision, then his true allegiance would become apparent. That Maxell had survived so long was a sign that his pleas for support to all parties had brought him time without a challenge to a physical combat.

Under other circumstances, he would have flashed Maxell a charming smile and extended his hand, using all the charm he could muster to the surface to help build on the other man's ego. But he needed the other man to work for him, not with him. He forced himself to remain impassive as Maxell threw a tantrum that any five-year-old human would have recognised.

"Seize him!" Maxell ordered.

The Master recognised the beasts that attacked him. The scientists on his world had studied them, dissected them, tested them extensively and published their findings in several tomes of detailed notes. While not an expert he could locate in his people's archives a breakdown of every genetic marker inside the creature's bodies. And when they had finished collecting the data which had allowed him such insight on the off chance he should ever meet them, the scientists had passed the remains to the kitchens where the finest chefs the planet could offer had conducted their own experiments.

He was not worried as the Reptilian creatures moved in. They were brutish and lacked intelligence, marking them as the best bodyguards that Maxell had been able to find. As the rushed forward and gripped him firmly he spared a thought for the ornate crafting on their spears.

"Be gone," he said, knowing that the combination of his tone and the glowing contacts he wore would give the correct impression. The occupants watched as the soldiers dissolved into the floor of the pyramid, their attention drawn to where his head should be and missing the small quantity of Ascetic Acid he poured over the floor. "You would be advised not to try that again Maxell," he announced, using as much of his telepathic abilities as he could manage without complete eye contact with his victim. He covered the activity, not willing to give away that ability whether successful or not. "You are a fine administrator, but little more."

"Who are you?" Zedd asked, his tone curious after the display of what he had assumed to be magic.

In fact the Master like the other members of his race did not possess magic. It was not that they had evolved on a world where magic was limited as was the case with Earth. Long ago there had been a war of ideology between those who believed in magic and those who denied its existence. Who had triumphed was unclear since history had been twisted and manipulated to the point where the magical faction had been wiped out. Now as a race science was sacred, psychic abilities were praised and magic was illegal.

"Yes," Master Vile agreed. "Maxell is a fool, but he is right; you are trespassing."

"Trespassing?" He allowed his acting skills to come to the surface along with the fine baritone he had once used to pass himself off as a singer. When he spoke, he imagined that he sounded outraged at any suggestion of wrongdoing on his part. "You accuse ME of trespassing? This is my world, a part of my empire; it is not I who trespass, it is you!"

"Us, hah!" Rita responded. "This planet is neutral territory. Nobody owns Onyx."

She had a point. Historical studies of Onyx had revealed that Onyx had never taken sides in the normal infighting. Like several other worlds in the sector it catered for anyone who had the money, the skill and the luck to stay alive.

"Onyx is mine, Rita Repulsa; it was mine the day I first set foot here long before your grandfather was conceived." The voice was calm, but there was a hint of annoyance that had been caused through Rita's tone. "I am the Master and I rule here."

It was true, he had gone back to the days before Onyx had been colonised and had claimed the planet.

"Impossible," Maxell interrupted.

The Master remained silent, allowing those present to draw their own conclusions and to make the first move for him.

"You - you think that you are _that _Master?" Maxell asked incredulously.

The Master didn't need his telepathic abilities to sense what was going through Maxell's mind. The bureaucrat was convinced that he was a lunatic, powerful but insane to walk into the headquarters of the UAE without their authority and then pretending to be a legend. That suited the Master just fine because it distracted anyone from accusing him of being a total fraud. Deep inside Maxell there seemed to be a faint trace of humanity. It was pathetic really.

"I don't think I am the Master," he answered calmly, building up to the angry statement that followed. "I am the Master and you WILL obey me!" As he spoke, he laced his words with a small burst of hypnosis. The effect was disappointing though as the villains burst out laughing. He sighed realising that his mind control might not work on their races, whatever they were; he was certain that the magic these creatures wielded so effectively altered their physical appearances and possibly their genetic structures. He reached out, grabbing Maxell around the neck and waited as the laughter stopped. "Do you doubt me?"

Maxell seemed incapable of deciding as the hand gradually tightened around his throat. The Master understood the poor man's dilemma; proclaiming that he was right would give the Master all the authority he needed, but at the same time Maxell would never insult somebody who had the ability and inclination to crush his trachea at any second - like all of his race, the Master was exceptionally strong.

~Come on you fool, I need you alive,~ the Master thought as he ran through all the alterations he had allowed for in his plan. ~There is no way this plan will succeed if I kill you. It would split this council if I did.~ This was one of the reasons he hated democracy even amongst those who sought to take freedom away from everyone else.

"I'm only asking for a little recognition," he told Maxell as he raised his arm, relying on the denser than average muscle structure to make the feat look easy. Maxell's feet left the ground and the strain on his neck increased.

"You could not have conquered this world when you claim," Prince Gasket told him. "It is illogical for an organic to live that long."

The Master smiled under his disguise. The machine did have an interesting point and the Master had to agree with him. Except on this occasion it was the absolute truth.

"Perhaps he is speaking the truth," Master Vile pondered.

The Master was grateful for the senior villain's words. They placed doubts in the minds of those who would accuse him and perhaps a warning that if Master Vile was unwilling to challenge him, how could they?

"This is madness," Maxell said; the Master had placed him back on the ground, knowing that the bureaucrat's words could only sound more pathetic with each protest. In the end he had to concede. "Fine, your claim is legitimate. What do you want?"

In some ways the Master had to admire that while he was a coward, Maxell was a skilled politician.

"I want what is mine," he answered. "My domain, these galaxies that your pitiful membership have divided amongst themselves, are mine, claimed from the time they first formed. And since they are mine alone to rule and this body has decided to interfere, I will have to take command of this council."

And there it was, his reason for being there: complete control of the Executive Council and through it the entire UAE. While control of the organisation was not a part of his plan, it would remove the possibility of their interference. Of course he had not reckoned on the stubborn pride of the assembled villains.

"Outrageous!" Mondo protested. "The Royal House of Gadgetry would never obey the whims of an organic."

"And I will never associate myself with a failure like you," Master Vile sniffed. "My daughter and son-in-law are bad enough."

The responses were not unexpected. Mondo's programming allowed him to emulate many human emotions, including pride. Master Vile had too much to lose should he just submit. The Master decided diplomacy was the best course of action.

"Really? I believe that it has long been agreed that he who holds the Earth, commands this council."

"Only when you have permission to attack Earth in the first place," Rita snapped. She was very defensive where her claim to Earth was involved.

"I don't need permission Rita Repulsa. I arranged the invasion of Earth decades before you reappeared from your little dustbin. Still, I do not intend to stage my own campaign for the Earth, I will place my stake behind Minion. He has proven a capable warrior so far; I have no doubt he will succeed. And then, the Earth and this council will be mine." He wondered how the words would be translated for his audience and then shrugged. He doubted a machine could come up with anything better.

"You plan to put your faith in a mutated throwaway that you did not create?" Maxell asked, disbelievingly. "If he fails, you'll be exposed as a fake. Then your life will be forfeit."

"I have absolute confidence in Minion even though I do not control him," he answered. "I will ensure he does not fail."

"You haven't even met him," Rita screeched, the surprise evident in her voice.

"I have a reliable source," he replied. He had observed Minion and although he did not know how the battle with the Rangers would turn out, it seemed the construct had the upper hand.

"We accept," Maxell announced after some thought.

The Master studied the politician, once again guessing his motives. Maxell didn't want to lose power and no doubt hated the thought that his control rested on something as precarious as a bet.

~Still,~ the Master mused, ~better that than trying to face death.~ He snorted in amusement. That sort of confrontation would be a long time coming.

It also didn't escape him that Maxell was under the impression that he held the upper hand. If Minion failed, he would be destroyed; if by some miracle the construct succeeded where so many experienced villains had succeeded, the UAE would have time to secure their position. No doubt Maxell believed that no matter how powerful he claimed to be, he would fall if there was sufficient power behind the blow. Unfortunately for Maxell, the Master had other ideas.

"Minion will control the Earth within two Earth lunar cycles," the Master cautioned. "Be ready to hand power over to me at that time."

Whether Minion had control by that time was irrelevant. The Master had brought himself time and when the Minion issue was finally settled, he would be long gone.

He activated the hand-held device that took him directly to his vessel, immediately dropping the disguise and returned his ship to a less volatile location. Stage one was complete; the next part would be fun.

* * *

Minion's Island, Gulf of Mexico,

Present

The device had been activated at the press of the first button and Minion had been shunted into an illusionary world ever since. There inside his own mind he would receive the punishment that Dagsyxx deemed necessary without draining the ancient being of its power. And although in reality his body was being unceremoniously dumped on a workbench, in his mind events were taking shape in a different way.

Minion had expected his consciousness to be snatched from the present and transported to Dagsyxx's dimension. So he was caught off guard when his assailant opened his arms and threw his head back, his eyes rolling back as he acted as a channel for the ancient evil. As his head returned to its normal position, Minion knew that there would be pain, but that realisation did not help.

"So we meet again Minion," the voice of Dagsyxx rumbled, challenging the thunder with its volume. More disturbing for Minion was that the vessel's lips did not move when the ancient evil spoke. "It would seem that my earlier lesson failed to redeem you; you are still a worthless traitor. And now on top that you have committed a truly unforgivable crime: failure."

A black circle appeared around Minion with a second outer circle forming seconds later. Then dividing lines and symbols appeared to form a magical seal. The seal started to rotate, bombarding Minion with red energy as it did so.

"Prepare yourself Minion to return to the Dark Dimension. There you will suffer for your crimes. You could have been great Minion; I would have made you a lackey under the command of my chosen. It is a shame that your ambition exceeded your ability."

"N-n-no, oh magnificent one please, Minion can still be of service," the construct managed to beg. "Give Minion another chance."

There was a long oppressive silence as Dagsyxx gave the impression that he was considering Minion's pitiful cries. During that period Minion continued to be bombarded by the destructive energy. His pleas grew louder and more genuine as his suffering was prolonged.

"Your usefulness is as questionable as your loyalty," Dagsyxx declared.

"I am useful," Minion growled, his ego unable to take such a rejection.

Then there was pain, more pain than Minion had ever felt. He couldn't bear the burning that flowed up the length of his arm or the strange sensation as his legs started to melt.

"So you do have some fight in you," Dagsyxx said as he watched Minion's skin bubbling. He regarded Minion thoughtfully, considering how he would torture the impertinent construct further.

"P-p-please," Minion tried again.

"Enough!" Dagsyxx said when it was clear that Minion could not take further pain. Dagsyxx used his vessel to make a gesture and the punishment seal was removed; a touch from the gloved hand was sufficient to heal the construct's physical wounds. Dagsyxx did nothing to end the mental suffering though knowing that Minion was close to losing his sanity. Another gesture was all it took to lift Minion from the diamond cut metal platform, and the ancient evil was pleased to see the slightly dazed look on the construct's face. Now came the important phase.

* * *

The device he had planted on Minion's forehead started to beep, signalling that the process was complete and that Dagsyxx had delivered his message, aided by the electronic stimulation of the frontal lobe. Now it was his turn to complete his part in the master plan by manipulating Minion's confused mind and then turning the enraged construct loose on the Power Rangers.

"You have survived worse than this Minion," he said, using a microphone to feed his words into the confused monster's mind. "You can overcome the pain the Rangers have caused you; you will make them pay for the suffering they inflicted upon you; every burn, cut or bruise on your body exists because of the Power Rangers. They are your sworn enemy Minion; nothing else matters now accept their destruction. Finish them... make them suffer just as you suffer and show them no mercy. When the Rangers are destroyed, your suffering will end."

As he finished talking, he pressed a button and removed the headpiece. The device had just fused Minion's pain receptors, causing the construct unbearable and almost never ending pain. Only anger could suppress the crippling agony and with the suggestion that the Rangers were responsible for everything he was feeling, Minion was bound to hunt them down.

"Hold him," the bearded manipulator ordered his assistant, an apelike creature. Good staff was hard to find, but the creature's brute strength and simple obedience made up for its lack of intelligence.

The simple creature did as it was told, pinning Minion's shoulders, using both its superior strength and impressive body weight to hold the construct in place.

With speed and accuracy, he took the opportunity to position receptive cells on Minion's body, knowing that the construct would be too preoccupied to worry about as they focussed and transmitted energy to another destination.

"Now, this must look convincing," he warned, receiving a grunt in reply. "Let him up and stand behind me."

The apeman obeyed, leaving Minion to awaken and face his attacker.

"Welcome back Minion, I am your master and you will obey my commands," he announced. As expected Minion's eyes flashed angrily as the Master managed to introduce himself and infuriate the construct at the same time. "We have many things to accomplish Minion, first the October Guard is to be obliterated."

"No," was the construct's reply. It seemed to lack any hostility towards the Master. "I do n-not care what you want, only the Rangers matter."

"You will do as I tell you," the Master insisted, his eyes taking on a new intensity. "I am your master and you _will _obey me!"

"I do not care," Minion answered forcefully and for the first time the Master realised the construct was not referring to itself as Minion. He intensified his glare, forcing all of his telepathic will upon the construct. Minion's mind had been fractured to the point though where he was immune to even the most practiced mind controller. A blast of energy left his hand, causing the Master to take a step back.

"You will regret that Minion," he warned, holding up a small cylinder.

Minion stared back defiantly, summoning a ball of energy that he threw in his tormentor's direction. The Master remained in place although his companion did not. The apeman threw himself into the path of the energy ball and allowed it to bounce off his padded chest. It growled angrily and rushed forward, swinging its powerful forearms in a way that could have decapitated Minion had the Master not ordered it to stop.

"Not as much as you will regret it," Minion warned, looking pointedly at the Master. He looked between the calm man with the greying beard, a picture of serenity and the large simian that was baring its teeth and trying to look threatening. He knew he could have destroyed them both easily. "You are lucky I have better things to do," he said finally.

"You need me," the Master pointed out, his voice going higher than normal. "You don't have the Sword of Darkness anymore and you have delayed using the Zeo Crystal for so long your body will no longer take the strain of doing so. Your powers are negligible and the Rangers can defeat you."

"I still have my WD Units, Silvo, Brasso and Bronzo," Minion pointed out.

"You have soldiers made from living metal that the Rangers will eventually learn to overcome and three henchmen who have seen better days," the Master corrected. He would not allow Minion to delude himself, too much was resting on Minion reacting as the Master expected him to. It was a dangerous game he was playing, but if it worked then the rewards would be great. "I can give you whatever you need Minion, I know where there is a weapon that can replace your missing sword. All you have to do is obey me."

"No." This time Minion did not allow the Master's companion to discourage him as he crossed the gap between them. A sharp blow to the creature's knee and a punch to its subhuman face put it out of commission while his hands seized the Master around the throat. "Tell me," he hissed.

"I-I may have been a little hasty in my demands," the Master admitted, holding up his hands in a submissive manner. "I am prepared to negotiate."

"No negotiation," Minion answered, tightening his hands. "Tell me!"

The Master eventually agreed, nodding his head to show his accepted, his eyes fixed on the floor to give the impression that he was defeated. He pulled out an old manuscript and directed Minion's attention to the picture.

"What is it?" Minion asked.

The Master resisted the urge to give him a sarcastic answer, reminding himself that the device had practically scrambled the construct's mind. "It is called the Sword of Ragnarok," he explained patiently and with as much authority as he could muster. "It's an energy adapting weapon capable of destroying the Power Rangers and any others who stand in your way. The longer you wield the blade the more powerful it becomes, especially if you have a suitable power source."

There, he had his interest; he could see the change in the construct's features. The uncontrolled aggression was mixed with curiosity.

"You know of such a source?"

"I know everything Minion," the Master answered. He had researched the sword capabilities to ensure it would serve his purposes. He didn't mention how destructive the sword could be to either the surrounding area or the unfortunate wielder.

"I want it," Minion said.

The Master smiled indulgently. He had known that in his current state of mind Minion would jump at the chance to possess such a weapon.

"Then you shall have it," he promised. "The sword was placed within the the Vaults of Imphos on the planet Pyxis. I can give you the means to get there, if you accept my aid."

His aid and by implication a debt that the Master could claim at any time. Had he been capable of thinking clearly Minion would have turned down the offer, recognising that the Master had more to gain from the deal than he did.

"Very well, but double-cross me and you will pay," Minion warned.

The Master smiled as he placed a device in Minion's hand. If he had wanted the construct dead, he would never have helped him in the first place. He didn't need Minion dead, he needed him to succeed. Then he could deal with him.

"Good luck Minion," he called cheerfully as the other villain vanished.

**End of Part **


	23. The Dark Prize

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Dark Prize

Pyxis

Minion wasn't sure if he was supposed to be shocked or angered after the Master had forced a small device into his hand. He looked around. ~Was this supposed to be Pyxis?~

He sensed that he had definitely travelled far from Earth, something the strange constellations in the night's sky confirmed. He could also tell that he had arrived on a world very similar to the planet he had been recently trying to conquer. However this place seemed to be alive with ambient magical energy and was not at all shielded from his perception by the large deposits of Iron Ore commonly found on Sol-Three. It was almost as if there were no insulators. He raised a fist and it ignited at his command, orange flames engulfing his lower arms.

He laughed, exhilarated by the raw energy flowing through the air. So much power flowing endlessly around him, it was a blissful torture, enough to drive a man to insanity if he were not already insane. He drew on the energy, greedily drawing it into his body to recharge the magical energy he had squandered in his battle with the Rangers.

Then he set forth on his journey, fuelled by the strange power he had absorbed and his thirst for revenge. He wanted to destroy the Rangers; he wanted to look at their fear filled faces before he put them out of their misery. As he passed through the strange lands he quickly understood that it was not as similar to the Earth as he had believed. Some parts were familiar although abandoned, but other parts were made up of grey spaces through which he could fly rather than run.

He continued for an unknown period of time, flying through the grey areas and walking casually through the almost normal areas of the world. Time like so many other things was different here. Seconds could be months or hours could be a heartbeat. It was impossible to say.

~There!~

He sensed the power as he approached what appeared to be a large temple. The doors had been conveniently left open for him, but his sight was set upon the stone anvil at its centre, and resting with its blade buried up to the hilt in the hardened stone: the Sword of Ragnarok. The powerful jewel that had been placed just below the blade reflected light in his direction. Even though it was buried, Minion knew that it was the weapon that would bring him the power to force entire armies to their knees.

As he started to move towards the podium, he sensed the arrival of something that wasn't a part of this place. He sighed; it stood to reason that there would be a security system of some sort and therefore was only a little surprised when its response to his presence was to summon guardians.  
"WHO DARES INVADE THE VAULTS OF IMPHOS?"  
He ignored the question, choosing instead to focus on the shifting forms of the guardians. His mouth curled as he felt the light probing of his mind as the defences tried to find a convenient form to use. In the end it seemed they had settled upon something similar to Power Rangers. They teleported in front of him and then vanished in a flash of multicoloured light.

"Stand and fight!" he commanded, hoping they would respond to his challenge. He was fortunate because they did so.

They were not like the Rangers he had seen before, although his experience was very limited. For one thing they were not really Rangers, just a manifestation of the protective force using an appearance his mind could comprehend.

"This is the best they could do?" Minion laughed. He was nervous though; at present, he was not holding a weapon. Still it was important to maintain the impression that he was superior. He pointed at them and then gestured for them to attack. Before they did so his hand wrapped around the Sword of Ragnarok and with an effort he dragged the blade free of the anvil.

The effect was immediate. He could feel the raw power coursing through his body, demanding that he slaughter everything in his path. The sword needed bloodshed and in return it fed him the energy to become a killing machine.

Red was the first to attack and Minion easily blocked his sword thrust with the Sword of Ragnarok. As he spun with the blade, the Red Ranger tried again to strike him. The image of Tommy, the defiant leader of the Power Rangers flashed before his eyes and with a roar of rage, Minion became more aggressive in his fighting. The Red Ranger tried, but could not stand up to the heavier blade as Minion put his all into the fight.

He knocked Red aside just in time for Yellow to aim and fire a crossbow. The bolt struck the ground just short of Minion's foot and the villain had to sidestep to avoid the subsequent bolts. Needing time, he grabbed Red and threw the construct at its companions. As Red fell on Green, causing the larger than average Ranger to topple, Minion was able to concentrate on Yellow as the Ranger pressed the attack.

Minion went on the defensive, allowing the Ranger to dictate the pace of the battle while he nimbly avoided the crossbow bolts. Then when he was certain he was in position, he caught the Ranger's attempted kick and twisted. Before the Ranger could recover, he slapped the flat of the blade across the Ranger's chest. He was rewarded by a loud groan from the Ranger.

He stumbled forward as Pink and Blue attacked, using their bladed weapons. Their blows failed to make an impact and those that did glanced off his magical shield. Still, their distraction allowed Green to charge in using a double-sided axe.

The three pronged attack hurt, but did little damage. By the time they attacked again, he was in a position to block. He caught Pink moving in and used the blunt base of his new toy to deliver a sharp blow to the base of the construct's helmet. Green had been swinging its axe as Minion blocked the blow and then used a blast of energy to send the Ranger crashing back.

"And now you will pay the price of attacking Minion," the villain growled, pointing the sword at the Rangers before making a series of short cuts in the air.

Streams of explosive energy left the tip of his sword, blasting the Rangers. The magical lightning storm pinned them to the ground, wracking them with immense pain. As he moved the sword, the energy pushed the Rangers in the same direction, lifting them into the air. Then he unleashed a burst of flame towards them. The Rangers tried to block, but the flames were capable of devouring anything in their path.

Triumphantly Minion raised his fists in victory as the Rangers fell. Then he growled angrily as they picked themselves up. These were conceptual beings and not really Rangers. If he had hurt them with his attacks, it was likely they had suffered only minor injuries. They raised their hands and suddenly grew; developing metallic bodies that he supposed could have been mistaken for humanoid Zords.

"Two can play at that game," he warned, drawing on the energy around him to grow, the Sword of Ragnarok thrumming loudly as it too expanded. His black costume changed to form solid black armour, a black wolf mask with the horn of a unicorn covering his face. The Sword of Ragnarok had changed shape, matching the other changes. It was now a black crescent-shaped blade that he twirled expertly between his giant hands.

Despite the change in size, and he realised as he was charging towards the Rangers' giant forms, the room suddenly expanding to hold the combatants, Minion was still a deadly fighter. His sword flashed as it swept across his opponents, slicing into their metal armour.

The Rangers recovered and mounted a counter attack, transforming Pink into a glowing ball of energy that struck Minion in the chest. Even as he shook that off Yellow and Red were on the move. The winged warrior swooped in; firing energy bolts from its eyes until it reached the villain. Then as it passed overhead it closed both its wings to smack the side of his wolf's head helmet. Red followed close behind, using its own back facing sword to cut the villain across the mid section.

Minion's armour sparked and he stepped back as Green approached at full speed, lowering its head to catch the villain with its sharp horns before swiping with its axe. The Sword of Ragnarok sparked angrily as it intercepted the return blow and Minion kicked Green in the chest.

That left Blue and Pink to attack. They worked together, Blue using its tail to propel Pink into their opponent. Minion caught the incoming ball of energy and batted it back at Blue, watching gleefully as both armoured warriors fell.

"LEAVE THIS PLACE!"

The voice didn't come from his opponents, but he knew they belong to whatever entity served as guardian. He was not surprised when Green, Blue, Yellow and Pink merged to form a single unit. With Blue forming the tail, Green the main body, Yellow the wings and Pink the head, the combined into a powerful dragon that Red rode into battle.

The sudden change put Minion on the defensive once more. The dragon's flames scorched his armour, but he stood firm. As they fought, Minion found he had to avoid the dragon's mouth and Red's sword. He unleashed his own fireballs, which his opponents nimbly avoided before unleashing a jet of flame to trap him. The Sword of Ragnarok absorbed the energy and with a victorious growl he sent it shooting back to the source. Both the dragon and its rider fell, separating as it did so.

"You will have to do better than that," Minion challenged. The combat was thrilling. Every triumph no matter how small left him eager for the next fight. "Show me your true form."

Red looked up at him and seemed to nod. The games were over and it was time for the true Guardian of the Vaults of Imphos and protector to the planet Pyxis, the Sentinel Knight, to join the battle. They transformed immediately, merging to form a giant gold armoured warrior.

The fight was on again and this time Minion was outmatched. Even with the Sword of Ragnarok there was no denying the Knight's strength or his ingenuity. While Minion was concentrating on avoiding the warrior's deadly sword, the guardian blasted him with a ball of energy.

Minion fell back and as he did so, his armour returned to its previous state while he was reduced to his normal size.

"YOU SHOULD LEAVE, MINION. THIS PLACE AND ITS TREASURES ARE NOT FOR THE LIKES OF YOU. RETURN THE SWORD TO ITS PLACE AND DEPART. YOU WILL BE ALLOWED SAFE PASSAGE IF YOU VOW NEVER TO RETURN."

The words were compelling and for a moment Minion actually obeyed. But his bloodlust overcame the being's orders and he faced up to the Sentinel Knight, ready for further tricks.

"REMAIN AND YOU WILL BE PUNISHED."

A ball of silver flame shot towards the villain and Minion was forced to duck down to one knee. He fired back with one of his own shots, but the guardian whispered some words and the energy vanished. Minion shifted the Sword of Ragnarok and carved an 'x' in the air. The other warrior countered the move and an explosion rocked the chamber as they were both thrown to the ground.

A burst of yellow light ensnared Minion. The guardian used the light to throw the villain around like a rag doll, bouncing him across the ground. Minion struggled against the light, which bound his arms to his sides and made it impossible to absorb any of the impact. Finally he was able to summon enough strength to break the orb with the tip of his sword. His bonds were shattered and he was free; he quickly lashed out, drawing blood from the warrior's head as he did so.

The Sentinel Knight seemed to grow angrier. His foot stomped upon the pesky intruder and delighted as Minion barely managed to avoid the crushing blow. Minion tumbled to the side as the Guardian tried to stomp on him again. The other warrior roared, any pretence of being machines, long forgotten. He spread his fingers and several blasts shook the ground.

Minion was growing desperate. He had by now realised that in this place the Sentinel Knight was unbeatable. Even with the sword to aid him he could not destroy his opponent, who had been gifted with armour that could dampen energy attacks within the vaults. But that did not mean that he would lose. Minion was not above playing dirty and as one of Rita's monsters, honour was never a concern.

He changed tactics, summoning a thick fog to hide him from the guardian's sight. Then under cover of the thick blanket he charged the sword with as much energy as possible, waiting for the knight's head to break through the fog before he unleashed it as an explosion of light.

The guardian recoiled from the flash, blinded by Minion's power. Then Minion struck with lightning, knowing the knight would not block him this time. He was rewarded when the warrior started to lose his physical form and reverted to the magical energy from which he had been created.

His energy drained, the Sentinel Knight shifted to a simpler form of a human. It was not his true self, but he had exceeded his limits and no longer possessed the energy to maintain a physical form and his armour. Although battered he was prepared to react to whatever Minion tried next. He was aware that the villain only wanted the Sword of Ragnarok, but he had been tasked with protecting all the relics in his care, no matter how insignificant they seemed in comparison with other parts of the vault's collection appeared.  
His staff glowed as he started chanting, calling on the very nature of the planet to help him. He hurled an 'x' of destructive black energy towards Minion and then closed the gap between them as the villain easily deflected the blast. His staff struck three times, causing the clone to drop the Sword of Ragnarok as the guardian moved for the final blow.

Minion allowed his sword to fall to the ground, watching as it transformed into a different shape. He didn't need to be touching the weapon any longer in order to use it; such was the bond that had formed between them. The sword moved in from behind, catching the guardian unawares. The old man stumbled about, but Minion was far from done, he grabbed the sword and used it to destroy the ancient warrior's staff. Then he drove the blade into the entity's shoulder, well aware that it would not kill him; the Guardian of Imphos was a spiritual entity given form by the power of Pyxis and could not die, but it would suffer. He drove the old man's head into the ground and then after savouring the moment, blasted his skull.

With a gleeful pounce, Minion moved past the defeated guardian and exited the chamber, Sword of Ragnarok in hand. He could feel the power as it filled him, promising him things that he knew he deserved. He roared with insane laughter, picturing anyone, friend or foe, attempting to stand in his way. There was a burst of red light, and Minion was outside the temple, which was now closed to him. There was another flash as he disappeared.

* * *

The Guardian of Pyxis had been defeated. It had been centuries since the last challenger had come close to triumph and even longer since anybody had actually defeated him. Yet Minion, a mere magical construct had found a way to outwit the magical being. And to make matters worse it appeared that somebody else had taken advantage of Minion's victory to penetrate the Vaults of Imphos while the ancient defences were resetting.

"I told you before that you would regret not cooperating," the Master stated as he walked into the chamber. He had been here before and had fled in terror when the Sentinel Knight had bested him. And so he had selected Minion to deal with the bothersome protections, knowing that the clone would not hold back when doing so. The damage he had caused before leaving meant that the vault's defences were severely weakened and the contents were ready to be plundered. "Now I will take what I came for."

The vaults were capable of sensing the item that those entering desired and would shift to make it available for those they found deserving. In Minion's case it had been a simple matter of proving himself a superior warrior. But the Master sought something that would not respond to a show of strength. It was an object that wanted to be possessed and used, an object the responded to the desires of those that used it and even helped those that truly wanted the power it hid to unlock its many gifts. For that reason, for the temptation and the danger it posed, it was not removed from its storage box. But with the guardian temporarily subdued though it was merely a matter of finding it.

"STOP! YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN ALLOWED TO LEAVE THIS PLACE ONCE ON THE CONDITION YOU NEVER RETURN. DEPART OR YOU WILL BE DESTROYED."

"My dear Guardian, you're not in a position to threaten me," the Master responded as he walked over to the fallen being and picked up the staff that repaired itself after the battle. With a ridiculously drawn out display and a small grin, he snapped the length of wood, breaking the reset cycle, shattering the illusion and revealing the endless shelves that lined the perimeter of the chamber. He zeroed in on the small box he wanted and removed it from its housing.

Long ago when they had appointed themselves as gods, the Master's people had decreed that their race would never intervene in the battle between good and evil, nor would they take sides in any war unless the battle fought was between order and chaos. The Master had long ago decided not to submit to such a petty and ridiculous ruling. He had however satisfied those in power by claiming that all he did was for his own gain and was not interfering in the war. When he reached his final goal the rules of a race forced into extinction by there own foolishness, would have no further say in the matter. His actions would have consequences and he knew one day he would have to face them. For now though he needed to move on.

**End of Part **


	24. Show of Strength, Sign of Weakness

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Show of Strength, Sign of Weakness

Reefside, Earth

With the Power Chamber destroyed and Zordon unreachable using the available technology, the Rangers had been forced to move, to lick their wounds and decide how to move forward. Minion's plan to use the Elemental Beasts had failed, but as he had proven after the body, he was more than a match for the Rangers. And with the loses from that battle added to their already weakened position, the Rangers had been left vulnerable to any of the other villains that chose to capitalise. Their only reprieve in the days that followed their victory had come because so far Ninjor and Trey had been taking care of any problems that arose, selling the idea that the Rangers were taking time off. How long that illusion remained - for Rita and Zedd were not fooled as easily as some would believe - remained to be seen.

The first day their concern had been to secure the remains of the Power Chamber to prevent Zedd or worse, Mondo getting their hands on the secrets stored inside. Even assuming that everything had been destroyed, the site was positioned on a line of natural power and would provide an excellent fortress. That from the Rangers' point of view would be disastrous. Then with the mountain secured they could bring themselves to deal with other matters.

That was why they had gathered to discuss what they could do next. With only the Gem Coins to power them and the barely functional Ninja as a Zord, they were growing desperate. Minion still had the Zeo Crystal and the chances of retrieving it grew diminishing as each day passed; the Power Coins that the impostor Billy had taken had yet to be recovered.

"At least we have this place," Zack commented, gesturing to their surroundings.

"I concur," Billy said. "I appreciate Zordon's foresight in creating an external fallback facility."

"But why in Reefside?" Kimberly asked.

They had been surprised when Zordon's choice of backup facility had been under an abandoned house that they later discovered belonged to Zedric Ordon. The means of entering, by closing manipulating a dinosaur skull suggested that perhaps this had been Zordon's first choice for the original Command Center.

"Reefside is a centralised nexus with its own localised Morphin Grid," Billy explained. "Had Zordon stayed here he would have been able to create Rangers just as easily as he could in Angel Grove."

"So why did he pick Angel Grove?"

Billy shrugged. "Expansion possibilities, the local layout or just that that was a more remote location where he would not be bothered."

"Or it could be he liked mountains," Ninjor suggested.

There was little more to say on that matter so the Rangers decided to press ahead.

"Has there been any lucky finding Minion?" Trini asked, looking at Trey and Travis who had been using Pyramidas to aid their search for the villain's island since it had disappeared days earlier.

Both shook their heads. Zordon's satellite network had been put to full use to scan the planet's surface, but there had been no physical sightings of the island and a personal search of its previous location had revealed only sea water.

"Maybe he sank it," Rocky offered.

Tommy shook his head. "He didn't go to all that trouble to create his own island just to sink it again."

"At least not without having something to make such an act worthwhile," the Lord of Triforia added.

A small alarm sounded and the Rangers missed the simplicity of the Power Chamber as they tried to discover what was causing the alert.

"Looks like Minion decided to save us the trouble of looking," Zack commented. He didn't sound happy about it.

On a small screen they could see the self-made villain blasting his way through a small town to the north of Angel Grove. In his hand he wielded a new sword, one that sparked dangerously as he dragged it through the body of a parked car.

"That's not the Sword of Darkness," Trini pointed out.

"Affirmative," Billy agreed. "That sword does not have the same properties of the Sword of Darkness and is nowhere near as resistant. One well-placed shot will shatter it."

"We need to get out there," Adam said, turning away in revulsion as Minion drove his sword into an innocent bystander.

"It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

"Gold Ranger Power!"

They rapidly teleported away. Ninjor hesitated a moment before he too joined the battle.

* * *

Minion was winning. He had taken an early lead when the Gem Coin Rangers had appeared and had yet to allow them to turn the tide into their favour.

"Don't you understand Rangers?" Minion asked as he ruthlessly tore into his enemies. He didn't take time to devise strategies this time, preferring to let the sword in his hand and the cries of agony tell the story. "I suffer because you survive. Every time I cut you, hurt you, make you bleed and drop before me, the pain I feel diminishes. But it's not enough," he admitted as he drove his elbow into Adam's chest. "The pain I feel won't go until I have made you all pay, until you are all destroyed."

"You will never triumph, Minion," Ninjor announced as he rejoined the battle; the  
Morphin Master had been thrown through the fifth floor of a nearby building and had emerged on the far side only to plummet into a waiting trash pile.

"You should have stayed in your temple," Minion answered as he swung the Sword of Ragnarok at his foe.

Ninjor teleported away and reappeared, feigning boredom. "Is that the best you can do Minion?" he asked.

Minion tried again and again, each time missing the Morphin Master who was relying on quick thinking instead of brute force. When Minion unveiled the Zeo Crystal and unleashed a ball of flame in his direction, Ninjor caught it and turned it back against its originator. The villain reacted instinctively, bringing his arms up to block the blast despite knowing it would not harm him. That brief moment of distraction was enough for Zeo Frog and Zeo Ape to fire their pistols, knocking the Zeo Crystal from the villain's hand.

"No, the crystal!" Minion cried.

The Zeo Crystal had been his greatest prize, a sign of victory over the Rangers. Now it was back in enemy hands. He would not allow that.

"If I cannot have it, nobody shall!" he announced before charging towards the Rangers. He swung the Sword of Ragnarok and made contact with the Zeo Crystal, resulting in a shower of sparks as a crack appeared in the crystal's structure.

"Not so fast villain," Ninjor interrupted. He had by this time drawn his own sword despite the villain's desire to deal with the Rangers, the two found themselves locked in one on one combat. Minion ducked low and brought his sword up inside of Ninjor's defences, but the  
Morphin Master countered by releasing one hand from the handle of his sword and stepping back.

"Billy, we have the crystal," Tommy said. "Teleport it now." The crystal vanished and Tommy returned his attention to the battle in time to see Minion blast them, again.

* * *

"This isn't going well," Jason said as the Grid Warriors gathered around the monitor. Their friends were taking a battering from Minion and as much as the former Red Ranger hated to admit it, the clone had a clear advantage. "We don't have a choice guys, we'll have to take their place."

Kimberly looked as though she would object until the screen went blank. When it cleared again, the Gem Coin Rangers were strewn on the ground having demorphed from the encounter. Trey had landed in the entrance hall of the town's bank with enough energy that the bank's security cameras had been destroyed before they could reveal his secrets. Fortunately the bank had been empty at the time. From the look of things Ninjor was not faring much better.

"Billy, can we use the Zeo Crystal?" Trini asked the young genius.

Billy shook his head. The Zeo Crystal alone was capable of making one Ranger. Only when incorporated into the device Zordon and Alpha had designed could its energy be split into individual frequencies that allowed for multiple Zeo Rangers. Besides the damage Minion had inflicted had destabilised the crystal and for all he knew, it would crumble the next time they attempted to use it.

"Then we'll use the Gem Coins," Jason decided.

The others nodded and swiftly decided that Jason, Zack, Kimberly, Trini and Aisha would act as Rangers for the battle to come. In a column of white they teleported into the war zone.

When they arrived, they easily located their fallen friends. In their condition the Gem Coin Rangers couldn't stop Jason and his companions from removing their Gem Coins.

"It's Morphin Time!" Jason called confidently.

"Zeo Ranger I, Crane!" Kimberly cried.

"Zeo Ranger II, Bear!" Aisha yelled. It had been decided that she would take the Yellow power.

"Zeo Ranger III, Ape!" Trini cried. She didn't mind being blue instead of yellow. In fact it helped ease her feelings of taking Aisha's spot.

"Zeo Ranger IV, Frog!" Zack called. Zack was just glad to feel the Power again. He didn't care about colour.

"Zeo Ranger V, Falcon!" Jason called.

"All right Rangers." Jason declared, snapping his team back to attention. "Let's teach Minion not to mess with the Power Rangers..."

Across the street, which was starting to resemble a building site, a blur of red light shot out of the crater where the town's most prominent jeweller shop had once been. Ninjor and Minion had taken their combat to ever more violent extremes. Unable to defeat the  
Morphin Master on his own, Minion had cheated by calling in Brasso and Silvo. Together the three evil warriors had overwhelmed the heroic mentor and while they had been unable to destroy him, he needed to rest before continuing the fight.

"Well," Minion said as he emerged from the crater, leaving Silvo and Brasso inside the hole to make it look as if he had beaten Ninjor on his own. "That was... disappointing. I had hoped to break a sweat."

He could imagine the looks on the Rangers' faces as they realised their powerful friend had simply been shrugged off. Ninjor had proven to be an incredibly skilled warrior and had they continued one on one Minion had little doubt that he would have succumbed to the other's superior skill. Even facing three opponents, Ninjor had managed to hold his own up until the point where Silvo had grabbed him. From there on the odds had been too great.

"Fire!"

He looked up as the combined power of the Gem Coin Blasters slammed into him, throwing him back into the mountain. This time the rock did not take the impact and crumbled down upon Minion.

"Fire again!" Jason ordered. His helmet somehow disguised his voice, making him sound like Tommy.

The others obeyed, maintaining fire until the cannon's energy was drained. Then they allowed it to cool before pumping more shots towards the ailing villain. Their shots were having some effect by now, slipping past Minion's magical shielding and knocking him around with the concussion of each shot. They kept firing, switching to their Gem Coin Pistols and finally their swords.

Had Minion thought of it he would have ordered Silvo and Brasso to attack, knowing that with their brute force he could overpower the five teens. But his ego got in the way as he tried to fight back against the Rangers.

"Combine weapons!" Zeo Falcon ordered.

The Rangers did as they were told, clipping their Gem Coin pistols onto the back of the Gem Coin Blasters. They then attached their Gem Coin Swords to the front on the barrels. Then they each loaded a different cartridge and fired at the same spot.

A speck of dust rolled down the side of the new crater left by the Rangers' weapons; the explosive rounds Zack had chosen had proven effective. As the dust moved, it nudged other grains, causing them to follow suit, exposing the superheated soil beneath to cool air and causing steam to rise into the sky. More dust rolled off the mound left by their combined blast, the steam throwing globs of dirt into the sky. Columns of thick black smog erupted into the air, turning the sky dark. A huge mushroom cloud formed overhead and television and radio signals became scrambled as static electricity built up in the area. There was a second explosion as they struck a gas line, practically tearing what was left of the street to pieces.

A lone figure rose from the dirt and looked around, struggling to clear his head and cautiously taking stock of his body.

"He's still there," Aisha said disbelievingly.

"No, something's different," Trini told her.

"He's laughing," Aisha said, suddenly nervous.

"This has been fun Rangers," Minion chuckled, clearly amused. "The more you suffer the better I feel. And right now, I feel evil."

Minion laughed; a chilling laugh heard throughout the world that caused humans, villains and henchmen to pause for a moment as a shiver travelled down their spine. It seemed that while the blast had done very little to his body, and it seemed that his sanity was so far gone that nothing would damage it further.

He stomped forward, Sword of Ragnarok gripped firmly in his hand. The enemy was close to death, he could sense their fear as he approached. He ran his hand along the edge of the sword, sharpening it with the resistant material in his glove. Then he leapt into battle, using the sword to put an end to his foes. The Rangers put up a good fight, but Minion was more skilled and far more powerful than their average opponents, and the teens were not used to their powers. The Sword of Ragnarok crackled with destructive energy as he slashed it across Zeo Ape's chest.

The Rangers continued to fight, with Zeo Falcon taking the initiative as he charged at Minion, who in turn raised his sword to meet the Red Ranger's initial blow. As Jason parried the clone's counter thrust, Aisha took a swing at his knees with her sword. The clone lost his balance allowing Jason to slip inside his guard and land a blow with the end of his sword on the villain's left cheek. The Rangers rapidly followed up, delivering three more slashes as they interchanged between attacking and retreating back into open space.

Zeo Frog and Zeo Ape's blows were slightly mistimed, but while they did not land with maximum impact, Green's punch knocked the clone off balance and Blue's kick forced him to stumble back onto the ground.

"Fire Gas!" Zeo Crane called, launching a flame capsule from her Gem Coin Blaster, resulting in a fluffy mass of flames engulfing the stunned villain.

"Final Flash!" Zeo Falcon called, shooting a ray of destructive energy from the tip of his sword. He followed the blast until he was close enough to use the weapon to cut the villain down. With his determination fuelling his efforts, Jason powered through the clone's weak defence, powering up the sword to deliver his final blow.

Minion vanished only to reappear in the same spot once the blade had moved on. Jason landed a powerful knee to his opponent's chest. Jason ducked as the other Rangers fired, their blast sufficient to distract Minion so that Jason could sneak another kick at the villain's knees.

Minion rose defiantly as the Rangers turned their attention to him, the weapons aimed at his head suggesting what they had in mind would not be pleasant.

He could sense their indecision about whether they could destroy him and lurched forward. He managed to wrestle Zeo Crane's weapon from her grasp. The others responded quickly, using both their pistols and their swords in an attempt to bring Minion down. He responded by using his freshly won sword to force the Rangers to shift position. A series of kicks and rapid slashes took down the Rangers giving him the advantage but only for a short time before the Rangers recovered.

Kimberly leapt over Minion's head, twisting as she did so to deliver an underside down kick to the back of his head. Zeo Frog and Zeo Ape had once again drawn their side arms and fired them as soon as Kimberly was clear.

The battle raged on, neither side able to gain a clear advantage. Minion was stronger and able to take the Rangers down easily, but they had the strength of numbers, which meant as one of them was thrown aside, another could take his place. The Rangers were exhausted, but didn't dare to give the other an edge. And all the time the city was taking the brunt of their combat.

By this time Sam and David had arrived and managed to retrieve Trey and Ninjor. They had also revived Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Kat and Tanya. While Trey and Ninjor rejoined the action, Tommy and the others looked on from what was supposedly a position of safety.

Minion blasted the Rangers, hoping to take them down. He in turn was hit by a series of shots as the Gem Coin Rangers jumped for cover. As Gold Ranger charged in with his own attack and Ninjor swooped from the sky on his floating cloud to snatch the villain's stolen sword from his grasp.

"This isn't over Rangers," Minion promised. He lifted his hand and unleashed a final bolt of black lightning at the unmorphed teens.

The blast hit as he expected it to, throwing them into the air. And while some like Tommy were lucky enough to land safely, Rocky was not so fortunate. The youth hit the ground with a sickening thud. His body spasmed after the impact; it was the falling concrete that damaged his back.

"That will do for now," Minion announced before leaving. It seemed that he had regained the advantage.

* * *

After securing Rocky in the hospital, away from those who would take advantage of his injury, the Rangers had regrouped back at their Reefside headquarters.

"What's the verdict?" Tommy asked.

"The Zeo Crystal will need to be repaired at a molecular level," Billy told him. "We don't have the means to do so."

"So we're still down to one full Ranger," Jason pointed out.

"Man, we need Zordon back."

"I may have a way to achieve that Rangers," Ninjor announced. He tapped something into a computer console, a primitive piece of machinery compared to those in the Power Chamber; Zordon had obviously never bothered upgrading this place. An image of a small world appeared on the screen.

"Phaedos!" Travis explained. "Surely you jest?"

"Nobody has ever sought the Great Power and succeeded," Trey added, recalling the legends, the promises and the tragic stories of the mutilated corpses discovered on the planet.

"I have faith in the Rangers," Ninjor said. "With the Great Power all things are possible; reversing the damage caused by Minion and his forces would prove easy."

"So we could bring Zordon back?" Aisha asked.

"Yes Rangers, you can bring Zordon back," Ninjor answered patiently although he continued muttering, "not that bringing him back is that big a deal, just a matter of repairing the transmitter."

"You are sending them to their deaths," Travis argued.

"Those who sought the Great Power before were unprepared and wanted it for selfish reasons," Ninjor explained.

"And how do you prepare for such a quest?" Travis asked. "The greatest warriors went to Phaedos and none returned save those who changed their minds."

"They were great warriors," Trey said as he looked up at Ninjor's unreadable face, "but they were not Rangers."

"Trey is right," Ninjor announced. "And with a little training we have eight fine upstanding candidates just waiting to be made Rangers."

"You mean us?" Kim asked, her eyes expressing her excitement at the thought.

"Can you think of anyone else?" Ninjor asked.

Kim quickly shook her head. She remembered her time as a Ranger fondly. She was thrilled at the chance to live that life again.

"Jason, Kimberly, Zack, Billy, Sam, Trini, Aisha and David will come with me to seek out their new powers," Ninjor announced. He looked at the potential Rangers. "I think this will go better than it did last time."

"You guys get the Great Power," Tommy decided, "and we'll hold Minion back for as long as possible."

"Ninjor, what about the Zeo Crystal, can we fix it?" Trini asked.

"Of course we can," Ninjor said, "but not yet. With the Great Power all things are possible, repairing the crystal will be easy." ~Although at this rate we may need to choose which miracle we wish to perform.~

"I've completed a diagnostic of the Gem Coins and while they remain unstable, they can be safely utilised until we restore the Zeo Crystal," Billy told them. "The only problem is that you will be one Ranger short."

"We'll manage as best we can," Tommy promised.

The others agreed. It was going to be a dangerous time, but the sooner Jason and the others gained their new powers, the sooner the Earth would be protected.

As the others teleported from their makeshift headquarters, Travis set himself the task of finding keeping watch. He didn't have any powers, wasn't even a Ranger and was there only because he had once been a part of Trey. He would anything to help, just as the other Rangers would find a way to survive. Because if they didn't, there would be nothing left for Ninjor and the others to return to.

* * *

Juruyella

"Kim, look out!" Billy called as he ducked another monster.

The eight teens had no sooner arrived at their destination than they were attacked. Eight lizard-like creatures had taken them by surprise; each armed with a spear.

Kimberly leapt out of the way, narrowly avoiding the lizard's tail. Landing on one foot she pushed herself into the air, performing a spin kick that would have made Tommy jealous. For some reason, despite being unable to morph, the Rangers were able to execute moves they had only ever managed successfully when the power was flowing through them.

"Come on you overgrown handbag," she heard Aisha call.

Looking over to where the former Ranger was fighting she could see the lizard was having problems. Aisha kicked it from behind and quickly rolled away as it turned around. Once again behind her opponent, she kicked it a second time.

Jason meanwhile had not bothered with fancy kicks. Instead he was trading fists and solid kicks with a powerful looking lizard. He pulled away as he saw the tail swinging towards him, waiting for the correct opportunity and then stomping on the tip of the tail. "Hi-yah!" He threw the lizard to the ground, driving his fist into its skull just above the eyes.

Zack had gone back to the techniques that had given him the best results as a Ranger. Distracting his opponent with his footwork, he waited until the lizard had lost interest in fighting him before kicking it in the head. A few extra kicks to the creature's mid section and it keeled over.

* * *

In a pocket dimension composed of neither light nor darkness a small group watched the former Rangers in battle. One of them had worked with the Rangers before. Two had been watching over the Rangers at various times in their careers. The final member of the group was a powerful ally of Rangers throughout the Universe, who had been earmarked to one day act as their mentor, had events turned out differently.

"They are good," the first watcher said.

"I told you they were," the second piped up. "I only served with three of them, but I believe Zordon has chosen correctly."

"As do I," a female voice said. "We will train them, but we must be sure they are worthy before they take the final step. If we are mistaken we must find out before they receive their powers. Afterwards we will not be able to remove them."

"Then it is decided," a fourth, deep voice said. "We will wait until they have completed this challenge before introducing ourselves. We will train them to use their powers without the aid of Zordon and then we will test them. If we are correct there will be eight new Rangers."

The pocket dimension returned to silence as four of the most powerful beings for good watched the Rangers finish off their first trial.

* * *

Working back-to-back David and Sam had formed a good team. While David drew the lizards towards him, Sam would catch them by surprise.

"Ready?" David asked.

He got his answer when he felt Sam step into his hands, onto his shoulders and then launched into a bicycle kick. The first lizard didn't even realise what was happening until Sam landed, using a reverse chop to bring the creature down.

David slammed his fist into the side of his opponent's head. Turning his back on the lizard he pulled its chin over his right shoulder, holding it in place by positioning his arms around its neck and dropped to his knees. With an effort he dragged the semiconscious form back to its feet before repeating the move. This time though he turned his body as he descended, causing the lizard to rise into the air slightly.

Unexpectedly, the lizard Sam was fighting managed to knock him off his feet. Sam fought back as best he could until the lizard man collapsed. Behind it was Trini, offering her new friend a hand up.

"What happened to yours?" Sam asked.

Instead of answering, Trini pointed to where Billy was beating two lizards simultaneously. "Do you think we should help?" David asked as he helped Sam up. He noticed the looks on his friends' faces and added, "I meant the lizards."

"Billy's pissed!" Jason said as he walked over with Kim and Aisha.

"You can't blame him," Zack said as he also joined his friends.

"Heeyah!" Billy cried. The Blue Ranger had been through a great deal recently; first having his world taken from him and then captured while a duplicate infiltrated the Rangers and almost cost them their lives. "And don't you ever try that again," he told the last lizard as it collapsed to the ground. The workout had done him almost as much good as the restorative seeds that Ninjor had given him.

"Congratulations Rangers," Ninjor said as he moved to greet them. He waved a hand around the lizards and they vanished. "I of course expected nothing less. You have passed the test and earned the right to be tested. I am Ninjor, Keeper of the Temple of Ninja Powers. I'm also a legend throughout the Universe..."

"Congratulations indeed," a deep voice boomed. "Know that I am Saurian, Enforcer of the planet Juruyella."

The newcomer was big, very big. He was easily the size of a Megazord and his bulky red armour reminded them of the times they had seen Ninjor fight as a giant. He didn't wear a helmet, suggesting that he was naturally giant.

"I am Thalian, Protector of the Dairon Temple." A white-faced humanoid said.

"And I am called Dulcea." She was dressed in very little. She smiled as Sam, David, Jason, Zack and Billy struggled to pick their jaws off the ground. She knew that she looked good even after thousands of years, but to see that reflect in a young man's eyes for even a brief moment was a great reinforcement of her confidence. "If you wish to quest for the Great Power you will need to convince me that you are worthy." She glared at Saurian as she said that.

"Zordon has provided you with all the lessons a Ranger needs to know," Thalian stated, "but his captivity has prevented him from teaching you some of the things _you _need to know. That is why you are here."

"Come," Saurian said. "We will talk more when we reach my temple. The testing shall begin at dawn tomorrow."

* * *

The Guardian had been defeated and he was not happy about the situation. Not only had Minion stolen the Sword of Ragnarok, but an ingrate known only as the Master had managed to steal a far more dangerous artefact. The Guardian was bound by honour and duty to ensure that such crimes did not go unpunished. However, he was unable to leave his post protecting other treasures that might one day be needed.

Instead and with great reluctance he decided to choose others to act for him. He would grant them the appearance and powers of the temple's defenders and send them on a mission to retrieve the Sword of Ragnarok and to stop the Master from ever unleashing the power held within the box he had taken. If he did so then the Guardian would not need to worry, because at that point he would no longer exist.

**End of Part **


	25. The Quest for Power Part 1 - The Trials

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Quest for Power Part 1 - The Trials Begin

Juruyella,

"Wow, this place is amazing," Zack whispered as he took in his surroundings.

"Affirmative," Billy agreed. "A fully configured architectural configuration within a magical base."

"He means he can sense the Power," Trini guessed.

David silently nodded. The power within the walls was easy to sense.

"Are you surprised to find such power here, in a place that was obviously built as a conduit to the Morphin Grid?" Dulcea asked.

"I guess not," Billy answered as he continued to study the runes carved into the wall.

"You are a wise man Billy, but be careful not to allow your mind to completely dominate your actions. Sometimes the greatest power is found deep with your heart."

"Now Dulcea, Billy is young and naturally curious. It is only right that he asks questions and tries to learn as much as possible. He is a natural Blue," Thalian reminded her, a slight teasing tone in his voice.

"Perhaps if we stopped standing around and actually showed them why we came here first, we could get on with this thing," Saurian growled.

"Yes, you're right of course," Ninjor interceded. Only the Rangers heard him add: "for once." There was a pause, a clearing of throats as the mentors realised they were supposed to be the adults. "We have a surprise for you, Rangers. This temple is extremely receptive when it comes to the power of the Morphin Grid, it allows communication with others bound to the Power."

"I don't understand," Kimberly admitted. "That just went over my head."

"I believe Kimberly that Ninjor means that in this temple, I may speak with you."

"Zordon?" Jason, Billy, Zack, Trini and Kimberly responded.

For David, Aisha and Sam the voice was familiar, but for the others who had been there the day Kimberly and Billy had been turned into punks, this was the Zordon they had seen in the Viewing Globe. This was not the head that could only be seen through a Plasma Tube, this was Zordon, the noble

Grid Master.

"Yes Rangers, I am here. In these temples I am able to leave my time warp for brief periods," he explained.

"It is good to see you again, Zordon," Dulcea said. "I have missed you." The moment passed, the emotion lost as she returned to business. "Take a seat guys, we have a great deal to discuss."

"Allow me," Thalian offered. He placed a finger to his forehead and eight chairs appeared in front of Zordon.

"Thank you, my friend. You have come here, Rangers, to seek out new powers and then the Great Power to reverse the damage Minion caused. But first you must know what you are seeking, so I ask you Rangers, how much do you know about the Ranger Powers?" Zordon asked.

"Only that the powers take the form of either a set of Power Coins or the Zeo Crystal," Jason answered. The others nodded although Billy looked as if he wanted to add something.

Zordon sighed; there was obviously a lot he would need to teach his Rangers in the future, especially if they succeeded in this plan.

"In that case, your minds will be open enough to accept what I am about to tell you," Zordon said. "The Ranger Powers you are used to have been drawn by Power Coins and the Zeo Crystal. However, despite the differences in the powers and the ways they have been used, all Ranger powers come from the same source: an extra-dimensional pool of energy that seeps into this universe through a universal energy field that links all things together. Over the last few years you have come to know this Morphin Grid.

All the powers you have held regardless of whether they originated with the brute force of dinosaurs, the grace and skill ninja, the raw power of the Zeo Crystal, or even the mixture of sources used for the Gem Coins, came from that extra-dimensional pool via the Morphin Grid."

"So this extra-dimensional magic, what is it exactly?" Trini asked.

"Many refer to it as the Power and on some worlds it is even a religion. On Earth, I believe the word magic would prove adequate even though on your world the majority of the population cannot touch the Power naturally; I have heard it manifests itself as miracles and unexplained phenomenon such as telekinesis and telepathy."

"Why are we unable to touch the Power?" Jason asked.

"In a way you can," Zordon explained. "Earth is a unique planet. The planet itself contains great power and magic. It also contains a high percentage of Iron, which counters the effects of magic. As a result magic is overlooked in the day to day lives of humans and is not taught in the ways as it is on other worlds."

"When I first picked my Rangers I had a number of requirements," he continued. "Firstly, they had to be willing to accept the rules of the Power. There were others on Earth who would have been able to hold the Power, but might have abused the Power. Secondly, they needed to be able to form and act as a team. When I first ordered Alpha to find you, the computer searched for a group of friends. Finally, I required teenagers who had the potential to touch the power."

Aisha took the opportunity to ask the question she had been wondering about since the day that she had first become a Ranger. "Zordon, why did you choose teenagers to be Rangers?"

Zordon smiled. He knew the other Rangers had often discussed the issue, but none of them had yet come to the right conclusion. "The first reason is that as I said I needed humans with the potential to touch the Power whose minds were not closed to the possibilities of doing so. In addition it was important that those I selected were old enough to understand the responsibility the role of Ranger entailed. By selecting teenagers I not only fulfilled both of those requirements, but also found a group whose lives would be able to help when needed and not get stuck in other activities."

"To go back to my original point," Zordon continued. "The power within the Morphin Grid is often subdivided according to how it is used; the Power of course is ultimately neutral and had never been proven to have its own intelligence. The two dominant divisions are often recognised as the Light Side and the Dark Side. They are both the equal and the opposite of each other although I believe that the Dark Side cannot exist without the light to cast it."

"So when Tommy was under Rita's spell he drew energy from the Dark Side?" Jason asked.

"No," Zordon replied. "Although Rita's spell made him evil, he was still using the Light Side powers through his Power Coin. If he had been truly evil, the Ranger Powers would have left him. The energies from the different sides of the Grid can only focus through certain materials. The gold used in the forging of Power Coins can only channel the Light Side energies. I have heard that Zedd once found a similar substance that acts only in the presence of Dark Side energy."

"What's the third division?" Trini asked, realising Zordon had not mentioned it.

"The third division is perhaps the most complex," Zordon explained. "At its simplest it is plain magic unaffected by the impurities of emotion or desire. Those who draw from it are either neutral in their allegiances or calling upon powers that cannot be strictly classed as either good or evil." Zordon explained. "There are many who use the Shadow Side without realising that that is where the power comes from. As far as I know only one race has ever been able to successfully wield the full power of the Shadow Grid to the extent where they could be called Masters."

As always what went unsaid was as important as the information Zordon gave to his students. The Shadow Side of the Morphin Grid actually overlapped the Light and Dark Sides of the Morphin Grid. There were many shades of shadow and while some of its practitioners could be as evil as Master Vile, others could be as pious as Ninjor.

Zordon noticed that the Rangers were hooked on his every word, but also realised he needed to get to the point if they were to succeed before it was too late. "What I am going to tell you now is a little known secret about the Ranger Powers. You are aware that in the past the Rangers have used the Dino, Thunder and Ninja powers. What you have now come to realise is that these different powers are all variants of the same power, each representing a different aspect of the Power. The Dino powers represented the body and relied on brute force. You will remember no doubt that the first time you used those powers you felt as though you could move mountains. The Thunder powers represent the mind. They are the mystical powers that rely as much on out thinking the enemy as they do on overpowering him. The Ninja Ranger powers use skill and speed as opposed to brute force. The Ninja powers set traps and confuse the enemy to win. And Zeo? Zeo represents a more technological side of the Power as opposed to the mystical.

Dino, Thunder and Ninja are aspects and as you know, each aspect is often further divided into colours." The time had come for revelation number two. "There are an infinite number of colours available and each means something dependent upon the philosophy of the Power and the world on which the powers are used; Neon Green is often a sign that the race has difficulty with understanding colours. In the case of the Dino, Thunder and Ninja powers drawn through Power Coins, there are nine colours.

Each colour of the Grid is often associated with a spirit animal. Although there are unlimited spirit animals and colour is not a limiting factor, it is not unusual to find that most colours fit one of three spirit animals.

Jason and Rocky were suited to the Red colour. Although many assume that red is the colour of the leader, it is mainly the colour that represents a team player. The Red spirits are the Tyrannosaurus, Dragon and Ape. Jason is the Tyrannosaurus, a powerful leader who is able to work with his team. He also tends to tackle his opponents head on Rocky however is a Dragon. As such he was the center, around which the team is formed. Rocky preferred to think things out before attacking."

"Billy was drawn to the Blue colour. Blue represents a creative and powerful mind, not just in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of mental powers. Blue spirits also have a desire to belong although sometimes have difficulty relating to others. The Triceratops, Unicorn and Wolf represent the Blue Powers. Billy is the Wolf aspect of the Blue Power. He prefers to study his enemies and determine their weaknesses before charging in."

"Trini was suited to the Yellow Power. She could have managed either the Sabre-toothed Tiger, Griffin or Bear. As the Yellow Ranger she was the peacemaker, looking out for the weaker members of the team. However like Billy, she prefers to study her problems first and would have been at her best if linked to the Bear."

"What about me?" Aisha asked.

"I will get to you in a moment," Zordon promised, before continuing with his lecture. "Zack and Adam are both natural users of the Black Powers. Both possess a joyful spirit and seek to lighten their team's mood in battle. For Zack this is due to his own personality, but Adam does so because of his shy nature. The Mastodon, Lion and Frog represent the Black Power. Zack is the Lion, a playful and slightly wild spirit, whilst Adam is the more reserved Frog."

"Kimberly and Kat were Pink Spirits, the colour of a nursing spirit that is protective of all those around and pure of mind and body. The Pterodactyl, Firebird and Crane all represent the Pink Power. Whilst Kimberly is more likely to think and then act, Kat will study her opponents in the same was as Billy and Trini. That is why Kim excelled as the Firebird and Kat was able to slip into her role as the Crane."

"The White Ranger represents the healer," Zordon explained. "Although Tommy has held the White Power, he did so only to access the powers of a Ranger. The White Rangers normally possess a pure spirit and are immune to spells. In addition they can heal their fellow Rangers and possess certain extra mental abilities. The White Powers are represented by the winged flying dinosaur known as the Winged Raptor or Drago, Tiger and Falcon."

"Sam and Tommy are both Green Spirits. The Green Power is at the opposite end of the Light Side," Zordon explained "Those with a Green Spirit constantly feel the pull of both sides of the Morphin Grid. That is why both Tommy and Sam were able to be place under Rita's spell. The Dragon, Minotaur and Panther represent the Green Power. Sam is Dragon, whereas Tommy is closer to the Light and is therefore the Panther."

"Finally, there is the Purple Spirit. Purple is the colour of unity. Those with the Purple Powers are able to combine the various attributes of the other Rangers. Aisha is a Purple Spirit. She is pure of heart; capable of acting on her own when she needs to; and has a protective attitude towards her fellow Rangers. The Stegosaurus, Spider and Hawk represent purple."

Zordon looked at his young students. He knew his lecture had raised many questions in their minds and he intended to answer them.

"I know you have some questions, so allow me to explain. Firstly, the ninth colour is undefined, often posing as one of the other colours. It is hidden deep within the Morphin Grid and will only be revealed when eight Rangers reach their full potential and need the power of a ninth. It is the power of the Trickster, mimicking the other Spirits and hiding amongst them. I know you will wonder why if there were nine colours there were only ever six Rangers at a time. As I have already mentioned, one of the colours is unknown, but the others are simply related to not having the coins. The original Purple Coin was lost, the White Coin was mine to create and I did so only to allow Tommy to become a Ranger again. With the Green Coin in the hands of Rita and then sabotaged, I never got to create a Green Ranger."

Jason had listened to everything Zordon had said. He had allowed the others to ask questions when he felt they were necessary and now understood the inside workings of the Ranger Powers. What he needed to know was why Zordon felt the need to tell them all this. "Zordon, why are we here?"

"Jason, Kimberly, Aisha, Trini, David, Sam, Zack and Billy, you are here because I believe that the eight of you will prove successful in the task I am about to set. Seven of you have proven yourselves exceptional Rangers and David has shown signs that he too would be a successful avatar of the Power. I have revealed to you the truth about the Morphin Grid and explained to you the aspects. Now I ask that you accept that although these aspects are individually powerful, it is only when unified that they will allow the true power of a Ranger to be unlocked.

Very few have ever held all three aspects of the Power. Most have been given their correct spirit early on and have never changed. On Earth though Billy, Kimberly and Aisha have used all three levels to some extent. Zack, Trini and Jason have touched two aspects even if one was only in passing. There is therefore a high chance that this group could integrate all three aspects to unlock the true Ranger powers."

"How do we get them?" Jason asked.

"First, you must realise that you will be a team. The Power Rangers have always been a team and this is perhaps your greatest strength," Zordon explained. "And secondly, you will be divided, trained and tested to find and recognise the different aspects of the Power within you. Then you will be taught to direct and use your new powers before being tested to prove yourselves worthy of your new Power Coins. I would never force you to do anything that you feel uncomfortable doing. But, if you are prepared to accept the powers, please step forward."

"Excellent," Thalian declared as the Rangers took a step forward. "Take the rest of the day to really get to know yourselves and each other. We will resume early tomorrow. Oh and Ranger, be sure to rest."

* * *

Saurian's Temple, Juruyella

Eight hopeful humans stood awaiting their first test. Saurian had warned them that the training they would receive was intended to make up for the gaps in their training and then to stretch them to the peak of their abilities. It would be at that time that they would be able to tell whether or not the Rangers had what was needed to succeed. Their days would be long and tedious, but during time they would learn whether they were deserving of the powers they sought.

"We shall begin the training soon, but first you must be divided," Saurian told them. "Some of you are connected to one aspect of the Morphin Grid already and your training will take place with those aspects in mind."

Thalian stepped forward to look at the hopeful Rangers in front of him. "Zachary Taylor and Kimberly Hart, you two will accompany me to Dairon." He held out his hand to both of the former Rangers. Kimberly and Zack took his hand and vanished.

"Trini Kwan and William Cranston, you are both to accompany me to the Desert of Despair," Ninjor said. Billy and Trini stepped forward and vanished.

"Sam Revilo and Jason Lee-Scott, you will remain here with me," Saurian said. Above him a door opened in the temple and the two boys followed him in.

"And that just leaves us," Dulcea said to David and Aisha. "Since both of you have only recently discovered your true colours I will teach you together?" She smiled at them and held out her hand. "Come on, let's go."

"Where are we going?" David asked.

"To Phaedos," Dulcea replied. "Relax David, no harm will come to you so long as you are under my care."

In a flash they all disappeared.

**End of Part **


	26. The Quest for Power Part 2 - The Trial

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Quest for Power Part 2 - Trial of Strength

Juruyella

Juruyella was a warm world untouched by civilisation for as long as anyone could remember. The planet was made up of a harsh ecosystem where the stronger animals preyed on the weak and those that could not out power the predators relied on brains and speed to get out of their way. It was a place where the dominant life forms were dinosaurs and one of the few places where even the simplest animals could touch the Morphin Grid. Saurian looked out over his world pleased that after so long he finally had some students. In the past he had been a great warrior, proudly fighting in the war against evil. Now he was retired, a teacher knowledgeable in the ways of the Morphin Grid, especially where it involved the application of brute force.

He raised his head to the sky, his dark skin absorbing the Sun's rays. He opened his eyes wide, hoping that he would be inspired as to how to test the two Rangers in his care. In the time they had been with him he had trained them in the ways of the warrior. Swordsmanship, unarmed combat, climbing and survival techniques had all been part of his course. They had learnt quickly, taking advantage of the dimensional wells inside the temple where hours of time passed faster than it did in the outside world. But Saurian knew despite the potential these Rangers showed they were soon to be tested and that should they succeed they would need further instruction before they could claim they were ready to survive the quest for the Great Power.

Saurian needed to be sure they were worthy of the power they stood to gain if they succeeded. Zordon had told him a great deal about the Rangers, but even the White

Master had admitted to having some doubts when he had first selected the teens. If they succeeded and then succumbed to the power they wielded, nothing would stop them. ~With the Great Power all things are possible, including dominance over the Universe.~

But how to test them. He knew it was not enough for them to be able to touch the powers they had used in the past; Jason and Sam needed to prove they were complete in touch with the Power. That they trusted it and allowed it to guide them as much as they used it to further their aims. Most importantly he needed them to prove to him that at the end of the day there was something more important to them than becoming Rangers.

~I need to push them to break the rules of the Power,~ he thought. ~Tempt them to take the easy option and see how they respond.~

The question of course was how? He did not believe a simple offer of power would do the trick, unless the power was one the Rangers had been led to believe was theirs'. He remembered from his conversations with Zordon that Sam was reliant on the Green Power to exist. Maybe when faced with no alternative Sam would opt for the easy way out. Saurian hoped he would be proved wrong. Luckily he had separated Jason and Sam as soon as they had entered the temple. Both believed they were seeing each other on a regular basis, in truth they had never been in the same place at the same time since training had started.

* * *

Jason looked around his room. Admittedly large enough for him to move about in and furnished with a bed and chair, none of the space inside was wasted. On the end of the bed he found a pair of plain grey pants and a T-shirt that showed that among their other feats the

Grid Masters had successfully created the perfect embodiment of blandness. He changed into the clothes provided for him, dumping his nightclothes into the receptacle - they would be cleaned and returned for him by nightfall - and sat down on the chair provided while he waited for Saurian. The

Morphin Master had made a habit of visiting him each morning to discuss the day's training. It seemed like they had been in the temple for weeks, but Jason knew that was likely a side effect of the time disturbance.

After a long wait during which his breakfast had been delivered, there was a knock on the door and Saurian entered the room. He nodded his approval when he saw Jason was dressed and seemingly ready for the day ahead. As was the protocol they had developed between them, Jason indicated for the Morphin Master to sit.

"I trust you are ready for the testing," Saurian said as he took a seat on the bed. "Your training has been shorter than I would have liked kid. Two years maybe, but two weeks is too short a time."

"I am ready," Jason said.

"Good lad," Saurian replied. "Being ready is all you can be. There's no prize for second place in this; I can award one set of powers to one Ranger. It's you or Sam for the power, and position as leader of the Morphin Rangers. You're neck and neck at the moment, this test is winner takes all."

"I have to compete with Sam?" Jason asked.

"Only five can seek the Great Power," Saurian explained. "David and Aisha were preselected by Zordon. Thalian, Ninjor and I will decide the remaining three Rangers. Billy and Trini will be competing for the role of Blue Ranger, Zack and Kimberly will be competing for the role of Black Ranger and you and Sam will be competing for the role of Red Ranger."

"What about the three Rangers who are not picked?" Jason asked.

"They will eventually be given the powers of either the White, Purple or Green Ranger and act as backup while the others do the fighting." Saurian smiled sympathetically as he turned to look Jason in the eye. "I know it's not fair kid, but that's the way things are. That's why I kept you apart from Sam; to face each other in combat is one thing, but to face a friend in combat is another. Of course, you've been in that position with Tommy before and he turned out to be a suitable leader for the Rangers. I'm sure Sam would make a good leader as well, eventually."

With that Saurian stood and left Jason to think about his words. Once outside the door, he took a few deep breaths. Lying to Jason had not been easy. He hoped the teen had fallen for the act enough to genuinely pass the test. He reached out with the limited empathy he possessed. He was a warrior, used to fighting his way through evil armies with only the aid of his battle-axe, not testing the emotional state of a teenage human.

He could sense the boy's inner turmoil and knew that soon Jason would start hearing the voices of his darker thoughts, an effect created by the high levels of stress and the trace chemicals that had been placed in his food. If Jason could overcome those thoughts then he would be worthy of the powers Zordon had sent him in search of. ~And perhaps then I will be able to forgive myself for this deception.~

When he was finally calm, Saurian set off for Sam's room, hoping the Green Ranger's latent magic - for Sam had become so reliant upon the Wizard of Deception's wand and his Power Coin, that he had failed to notice his own abilities - did not allow him to detect lies. In the case of the Green Ranger it was even more important to ensure he was worthy of the Power. The Green Rangers had always walked the line between good and evil. Over the years, many had been lost when they stepped over the line. With the powers Sam would encounter, such a loss of self would prove disastrous.

* * *

Sam lay back on his bed waiting for Saurian to summon him. When he had entered his room, he had put on the pants and top Saurian had provided. Then he had settled back to wait. Eventually Saurian entered the room and took a seat next to the bed.

"Are you prepared for the test?" he asked.

"As ready as I can be," Sam replied.

"That's what Jason said when I asked him as well," Saurian smiled. "It's a shame really that I cannot choose both of you to become Rangers."

"How do you mean?" Sam asked.

"There can only be five Rangers at this time. We need to select those best suited to the task at hand. Therefore, we're not having a Red Ranger; you and Jason will be competing for the Green Coin."

"What happens to the loser?" Sam asked.

"Well in Jason's case, if he loses, he will just wait until we have the power to create a Red Ranger and then rejoin the team. With you it's a little bit more difficult because your existence is linked to your coin, which is in the hands of the enemy. It's a tough break kid, but if you lose we can't risk them using the coin to control you. We have to arrange for you to be placed into a sleep chamber until we can get your coin back for you." Saurian turned to look Sam in the eye as he made his final comment. "Of course you have proven yourself to be a valued ally to the Rangers, so I wish you every success. And rest assured, Jason has held the Green Power Coin before and I'm sure he will use it as well this time as he did then."

Saurian could sense Sam's anger. Whereas Jason had been confused, Sam was furious with Zordon for sending him in search of a power, knowing he could lose everything he valued including his freedom.

"Of course, at the end of the day, victory is what counts. I have already told Jason and now I'm telling you, during the trials ahead, anything goes."

Without saying another word, Saurian stood and walked out.

"The test is set," Saurian said, holding the palm of his hand outwards. "One believes his role as leader is at stake, the other believes his existence is forfeit to failure." He closed his hand again. "Let the test begin."

* * *

Jason glanced over at Sam as they stood at the start of the assault course. It hurt him to see Sam dressed in red, a colour he had always felt was his.

"Ready," Saurian said raising his hand. "Set, go!"

The two boys set off through the maze Saurian had arranged for them. Up the long cargo net, across the balance beam, over the rolling tree trunks and down into the swamp below.

Saurian watched from his vantage point high above the forest. Both Rangers believed they were running against each other. In truth they had never started to move. The only running was happening in their minds.

Sam took a moment to catch his breath. He was a few seconds ahead of Jason and determined to win. Seeing Jason dressed in Green had been hurtful. *You know you could use your magic to get ahead a bit,* a voice said. *Use the spell you used on Zordon and Saurian will never know that you cheated.*

Sam was tempted for half a second. The voice was not the one he normally heard. This voice was more seductive. He considered using a small spell just to slow Jason down. Then he shook the idea away. ~Being the Green Ranger is not worth that.~

Sam started to run again as he heard Jason approaching. He quickly waded through the swamp, careful not to let the murky water drag him under. With a splash, Jason landed just in front of him, having jumped from above. Sam realised Jason had seen him in the swamp and had assumed it was safe.

Jason landed in front of his friend and kept moving, struggling to gain as much of a lead as possible. He heard a moan behind him and looked around. Sam had lost his footing and was sinking into the swamp.

*Leave him,* a voice said. *A leader must be strong. The others need you. It's worth the loss of Sam to save Earth.*

Jason ignored the voices and looked for a way to help his friend. He knew wading back into the swamp could lead to them both being sucked under. His last conversation with Zordon came to mind and Jason found himself wondering if all three aspects of the Morphin Grid were within him. Reaching down he found the Tyrannosaurus. He reached further until he felt the Red Dragon. From there it was a small stretch to seek the power of Ninja within. The Ape bounded into being, filling his mind with the knowledge he needed to rescue Sam.

Bending his knees, Jason leapt into the branches of a nearby tree. In his mind he could see how the Ape would accomplish its task. Standing on the branch he grabbed a vine, tied it down and then used it to lower himself into position above Sam.

"Grab my ankles," he told Sam.

He saw the former Green Dragon Ranger reach up to grab his ankles. When he felt Sam grab on, Jason pulled them back up to the branch.

"Thanks," Sam said.

"Come on, let's finish," Jason said.

Working together the two friends easily negotiated the rest of the obstacles, at the same time learning about their spirit animals. At one point a huge white dragon, which bombarded them with fireballs attacked them, causing both Rangers to duck. Drawing on the power of their own Dragon powers, Jason and Sam managed to overpower the beast.

Together they finally finished the course, exhausted and in need of rest. They looked up to see Saurian watching them.

"Congratulations to both of you," Saurian said to both of them. To Jason he added, "You know with the Red Ranger powers on the line you took quite a risk by going back to help him."

"Congratulations to both of you," Saurian said to both of them. To Sam he added, "Allowing Jason to rescue you showed you must have a lot of faith in your abilities to win later on. With the Green Ranger powers on the line I would have done anything to win."

"We'll break for half an hour and then begin the combat test," Saurian told them.

* * *

"The purpose of this test is very simple," Saurian explained. "These are simulations of all the foot soldiers that Rangers throughout the Universe have faced at some point. You are both armed with a variety of weapons you can summon at any time. You may not use energy weapons however. If you are hit by one of their weapons you will lose points, but their blades are blunt."

Sam and Jason stood back to back. Each had chosen a sword as their first weapon. Sam quickly calculated the number of foot soldiers he would need to destroy in order to win the contest.

"Begin!" Saurian instructed.

Zordon's rules for combat buzzed in their head. **NEVER ESCALATE A BATTLE UNLESS FORCED TO DO SO. **Both Sam and Jason stayed in place, waiting for the attack.

From the sidelines, Saurian smiled. Both Rangers had learnt their lesson well. He almost hated to finish the test, but knew it was essential for them to go through the entire trial. The test was to see if the Rangers would abandon a teammate to get ahead. He was almost certain now that Jason was as pure as the Power required. Sam was still an unknown factor; Saurian sensed great anger and bitterness. If Sam decided to cheat, Saurian needed to know.

From out of nowhere a group of Putties charged. Sam rolled to the left, jumped up, swinging his sword as he did so and neatly took off the head of the nearest Putty. Jason had done almost the same, but instead of standing up he sliced the Putty through the waist.

From there on in there was no holding back. Each time they were attacked, the two Rangers fought them off. Within a few minutes they had killed many of the henchmen and knocked out a lot more. Jason jammed the blade of his axe into a Cog's chest and turned around to see Sam strike four of the Z-Putties in their chests at the same time with a bo-staff.

Down to the last five opponents, Sam was one point ahead. He successfully ducked the Quantrons, smashing them with a pair of Nunchuks. He watched as Jason did the same to another two. All that was left was one Tenga, one of the easier opponents. Selecting a bow and arrow, he took aim.

The Tenga sensing danger flew into the air, picking Jason off the ground and flying to a great height. *Shoot it anyway and you win,* a voice said. Without a second thought Sam threw down the bow and arrow. Instead he concentrated on using his own magic to grab Jason and guide him back to Earth. Once he was sure his friend was safe, Sam turned his attention back to the Tenga in time to see it flying for his neck.

The bird dropped to the ground, a blade emerging through its neck where Jason had stabbed it. Once again Saurian walked over to them.

"Once again you have both excelled yourselves," the ancient teacher told them. "There will be one more test. I will call you when it is ready."

With that he transported Jason and Sam back to their rooms and prepared for their final challenge. So far both Rangers had performed exactly as he had hoped. Not only had Sam refused to cheat to win, he had used his magic even though he knew it would cause him to be disqualified. Now if they passed the final test Earth would have its new defenders.

* * *

Sam sat alone thinking about what Saurian might have in store for them next. It was no longer a question of whether he became Green Ranger again, it was a question of whether he would cease to exist. He had survived two hundred years in the past in order to protect the Morphin Grid. When time had finally caught up with itself, Sam had reluctantly allowed himself to be drawn back into battle. Now after all he had done he was facing his own doom, not from an enemy but a friend.

*He doesn't have to win,* a voice said. *Use your powers against him and there is no way he will survive the final test. You deserve to be the Green Ranger. Why should Jason take what is rightfully yours?*

Sam pushed the voice away. He had no intention of doing anything that would hurt Jason. ~Being a Ranger is not worth Jason's life,~ he thought. Had it only been a month or two before that he had wished for death?

*What about your own life?* the voice asked. *If are separated from the Green Power Coin you will cease to exist. Use your powers and beat Jason. He's taken the power of the Green Ranger from its rightful holder before. Don't let him do it again.*

Sam didn't dignify that argument with a response. He was a Ranger, one of those destined to protect the Earth from harm and he would do whatever he had to ensure that the planet remained free from evil's grasp. And if that meant that Jason had to be the Green Ranger, so be it. ~There is always another way,~ Sam thought. ~I won't kill to remain a Ranger.~

Sam had been so lost in his thoughts he had not noticed Saurian enter the room. The ancient master took his time to watch Sam struggling against his own desires. The boy was strong willed, but the thought of cheating in some way was growing stronger. Saurian decided Sam had debated with himself long enough.

"It is time Sam," Saurian said solemnly.

Sam followed Saurian out of his room and deep into the depths of the temple. For what seemed like another eternity they descended until finally Saurian stopped in front of a large stone door. From out of the air he plucked a double-edged sword and handed it to Sam.

"Your opponent waits within. Remember the rules of this combat: only fight to win; never trust an opponent and a Ranger without power is not a Ranger. Good luck, Ranger."

The stone door rolled open and Sam stepped through. Behind him he could hear the stone door close again. Sam looked around and recognised the scene. It was the tournament where Jason had first fought against Tommy. Sam checked around and discovered there was only one other person in the room.

"Hello Jason," Sam said in a cold voice, noticing that his opponent was still wearing green.

Jason said nothing, choosing instead to walk onto the mat and take up a ready stance, his own sword ready to strike. Sam walked onto the mat, and held his own sword out ready for action.

*Strike!* the voice said in the back of his mind. *Kill him before he attacks you. Use your powers and strike!*

Sam ignored the voice once again. For a moment he had been tempted, but seeing Jason waiting for him he decided to hold back and wait for his friend to strike first.

* * *

Jason followed Saurian down the steps of the temple, far below his room towards the place where Sam would be awaiting him. He had been wondering how he could defeat Sam and still be able to call himself worthy of the prize. ~Is being the leader so important to me that I need to beat up a friend to prove it?~

*Of course it is,* a voice said. *Tommy took your role from you before, why should Sam get to do it again?*

~There has to be another way. Fighting just to be a Ranger is wrong. I could defend Earth without my powers.~ Jason was tempted to give in and just fight, but he knew there was always an alternative.

Since Zordon had first selected them to be Rangers, Jason had always been the center of the team. He had been the one who had helped Billy with his martial arts, he was the one who had given the others the strength to carry on when Zordon had been missing, and he had been the one to free Tommy from Rita's spell and bring him into the team.

Then Zordon had tossed him aside, demoting him so Tommy could be leader. Jason had accepted his role until Zordon had insisted he surrender his powers to go to the Peace Conference. The conference had been worth the time he had spent there, but Jason wanted to be where he could make a difference. And being a Ranger meant he could make a difference.

*And now you're going to let somebody come along and take it away from you, again? Fight, do whatever you have to, but win!*

Saurian finally stopped in front of a pit. He held out his hand and produced an unpowered version of Jason's Power Sword. Jason took the weapon, reassured by the familiar feel of the weapon in his hand. "Your opponent is down there," Saurian said. "I know you don't want to fight Sam, but remember the Rangers need a leader, they need a Red Ranger and they need you."

Jason nodded and climbed into the pit. Once inside he saw it was a tunnel. Following the tunnel to its end he found himself in the Youth Center, or as near a mock up of the Youth Center as Saurian had managed to create. The whole area was empty except for Sam working out in the far corner. Jason noticed Sam was still wearing his red uniform, paying no heed as he continued to kick the punching bag.

*Strike him now!* the voice said. *If you catch him by surprise you will be victorious and can return to Earth. Tommy and the others need you. They won't hold out forever. Strike him!*

~No,~ Jason thought to himself. ~I took an oath only to use my powers for defence, never attack.~

That decided he noticed Sam turn towards him and walk across to the mat. The would-be Red Ranger had drawn a sword and was waiting for Jason. Jason walked over the mat and took up a defensive stance, ready for action.

* * *

Sam slowly worked through his kata, waiting for Jason to make the first move. Despite the voice in head he felt compelled to wait until he was attacked. Eventually Jason lunged, a fierce powerful blow to his ribs. Sam twisted at the hip, dropping his own sword and grabbing hold of Jason's arm as he followed through. Using his body for leverage he threw Jason to the ground. He used a quick kick to disarm his opponent and then backed off.

Sam watched as Jason recovered his sword, a sinister grin appearing on his face. ~He wants these powers so bad he's willing to kill for them.~

*Or die trying,* the voice said. *Fight back, he doesn't deserve the Green Power if he would kill to get it.*

Sam thought about what the voice said. It was true; Jason was attacking him with no sign of magic. Why shouldn't he fight fire with fire? He deserved to be the Green Ranger, why not use his powers to obtain what was his."

**"Now that you are part of the team, you must swear to uphold three rules or lose the protection of the Power. Never use your powers for personal gain; never reveal to anybody that you are a Power Ranger; and never escalate a battle unless you are forced to do so." **Zordon's words came flooding into Sam's head. He suddenly knew what he needed to do, not to win, just because it was right.

"I won't fight you, Jason," Sam said. "I won't kill for the Green Coin, I won't kill for my own needs and I won't fight my friend. If you want the Green Power Coin, it is yours. I'll find another way to help the Earth."

That said Sam walked away. In a flash of light he found himself outside the temple. Saurian was standing on the steps, a solemn look on his face. Sam felt his fears grow, especially when Jason did not appear with him.

* * *

Jason parried Sam's thrust. Swinging around he tried to reach under his opponent's blade, but to no avail. With each block Sam made Jason angrier until finally the former Red Ranger snapped. Deciding it was best to disarm his opponent, Jason lashed out with the flat edge of his sword, catching Sam across the face.

As expected he saw Sam lose his footing and struggle to regain his balance. At that point Jason launched himself into the air, landing under Sam's guard and catching him with a forearm. He swivel-kicked the sword from Sam's hand before rolling away to reclaim his own.

*Now!* the voice said deep in mind. *Do it now!*

A picture of his loved ones formed before him. All of them were screaming, begging him to become the Red Ranger and help them. He saw Tanya and Kat screaming as some unknown monster struck them. Tommy, Rocky and Adam replaced them, their throats slit. Finally Emily, his girlfriend appeared, begging him to take the power and become the Red Ranger she knew and loved.

~Emily?~ the image remained in Jason's mind. Something was wrong. Emily had never known he was a Ranger and she hadn't arrived in Angel Grove until the Zeo Rangers took over.

He looked at Sam kneeling before him begging for mercy. He remembered a battle from his time as Red Ranger. A monster had disguised itself as Tommy, trying to convince them they could never stand up to Zedd. Jason had seen through the disguise, knowing Tommy would never give in to fear.

"You win," Jason said, throwing his sword down and walking away.

Behind him he heard a howl and turned in time to see Sam being attacked by a black Ape. *Don't just leave him,* the voice said. *Finish him and you can be the Red Ranger once again.*

"Never!" Jason cried angrily. "I will not use my powers to attack for my own means. I will not kill unless provoked. And I will not allow a teammate to die unnecessarily, either by an action on my part or a refusal to act."

Without thinking he ran in front of the Ape and called on his spirit animals to defend the Green Ranger. The other Ape backed down and Jason turned to his friend. "If being Red Ranger means I have to kill a friend for nothing more than power, I don't want it."

That said Jason turned and walked back into the corridor. In front of him there was a bright flash and he found himself teleported to the temple front where Sam and Saurian were waiting. Saurian's face was grim and Jason feared the worse.

* * *

"Well," Saurian said. "You have both failed to claim the Morphin Powers. I find neither of you worthy of holding the Power. I strip both of you of any powers you might have had before coming here. I realise that this will mean you can no longer defend your planet, and in your case Sam will lead to death if you leave the temple. I therefore invite both of you to stay here until the battle is over and Earth is either safe or destroyed."

Jason and Sam exchanged a look. Both of them had failed and both of them were looking to the other for inspiration.

"Can you send me back to Earth?" Sam asked finally.

"Yes," Saurian replied. "But you will last only an hour on Earth."

"Send me back," Sam said sternly. "If I am going to cease to exist, I would rather do so fighting to help my friends. I may not be a Ranger, but I still have my magic."

"Me too," Jason said. "Tommy and the others are off planet seeking the Zeo Crystal, at least we can cover for them while they are gone. If I'm not going to have new powers the least I can do is return home and buy some time for the others."

A smile spread across Saurian's face. "Congratulations, you have proven yourselves to be true and worthy of the Power. You have upheld the rules, proven yourselves loyal and have shown that even without your powers you are willing to fight for the forces of good. I pronounce thee Rangers."

In front of Jason a Power Coin appeared. As he watched, the insignia of the Tyrannosaurus, Red Dragon and Ape formed on one side of the coin. On the other side of the coin was an etching of Jason's face. This was his power, never to be taken or used by another.

"Jason Lee-Scott, you have proven yourself to be a leader. You a strong warrior in body and spirit, always willing to help those under your command. It is with this in mind I restore to you the power of the Red Ranger."

The Power Coin seemed to fold in on itself, forming a small golden ball. The ball floated into Jason's hand and a morpher formed around it.

"Sam Revilo, you have proven yourself to be selfless and true. You have ignored the call of your darker nature even though you knew it would ensure your survival. It is with this in mind that I grant you the power of the Dragon, Minotaur and Panther and break your bond with your old coin. Now take what is rightfully yours, Green Ranger."

Sam did as he was told, watching as in front of him four coins formed. The first three contained the symbol of the Dragon, Minotaur and Panther with the Dragon glowing brightest. The fourth coin showed the image of Sam's face. The four coins merged, forming a golden ball, which floated into Sam's palm. A morpher formed around the ball.

"Call on your powers and make the ceremony complete," Saurian urged. "In the words of an old friend of mine: It's Morphin Time!"

"Green Ranger Power!" Sam called.

"Red Ranger Power!" Jason called.

"Tyrannosaurus!" Saurian called. He appeared in a slightly heavier version of Ninjor's armour. "Come, now you need to make sure you know how to use these new powers and discuss your new Zords."

In a flash of light the three powered beings left the temple to enjoy the rest of the planet and discuss their future. Sam and Jason had passed the test, Saurian hoped the other Rangers were also up to the task.

**End of Part **


	27. The Quest for Power Part 3 - The Trial

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Quest for Power Part 3 - Trial of the Mind

Thalian's Temple, Dairon

"Today you will have the opportunity to do something new," Thalian promised as he regarded his two pupils. They had trained hard over the last three weeks in the shadow of the temple. "Today you will take the challenge of the North Challenge. If you succeed, you will be deemed worthy of the Power and gain entrance to the Temple of the Mind's Eye," Thalian said. The bright sun reflected off his shoulder armour.

"I still say it looks more like a castle than a temple," Kimberly noted.

Thalian smiled, not the forced smile of a teacher trying to deal with a child who shouts out during class, but a deep friendly smile that spread all the way to his eyes. "Of course you do." He had learnt over their time together that Kimberly could be very set in her opinions. He was looking forward to seeing her reaction when she got her first look at the temple after being inside. "I meant of course the Castle of the Mind's Eye. All you have to do to pass your tests, is reach the main chamber inside the tower."

Unlike the rest of the temple, which was large and impressive, complete with stone pillars and long steps, the tower was made of dull grey stones; it was tall and square walled without decoration. Behind the spot where Thalian stood, was a simple doorway. To each side of the entrance was a moat, filled with green ooze.

A map appeared in his hand showing a picture of the temple. "Those who into the tower would go must choose above, between or below."

"What does that mean?" Zack asked.

"There are three entrances," Thalian explained. "One is on the roof, one is below the moat and one is behind me. Each will lead to the main chamber and each has its own challenges. The question is which will you choose?"

Without saying another word Thalian disappeared, leaving Zack and Kimberly to find their own ways in. If they were true Rangers it would take them a while, but they would eventually find the answer. Deciding to help them on their way, he had left them with was a small clue. "This task is as simple or as difficult as you decide it should be."

Finding no obvious entrances or secret methods of opening the temple door Kimberly and Zack had split up to see if they could find any entrances elsewhere. Thalian watched from the temple entrance. He had expected nothing less from two of Zordon's chosen. They had been taught to assume that the obvious way was wrong, meaning they had not followed him through the middle door.

He had no question they were worthy of the Power. He had watched them during their training and had been amazed at how they'd adapted to his teachings. He had watched them during the time they had used the Power of Thunder. He had seen them both grow wiser. If it had been his choice, he would have given the power to all of them without testing. Well, nearly all of them.

There was one whom Zordon had sent who caused Thalian concern. The feeling was weak, but no less evil and strangely familiar. He had watched over Kimberly, Zack, Billy, Jason and Trini, and he knew them to be pure. That meant that the problem was with one of Zordon's other choices.

David had never been a Ranger, but Thalian could sense a level of purity within him equal to Zordon. Tanya had been chosen to replace one of the Rangers and Thalian knew the Morphin Powers would not accept anyone unsuitable. Sam was another matter. Thalian had seen the trouble the Clone of the Green Dragon Ranger had caused when Rita and Zedd had created him. He secretly wondered whether Sam had truly conquered his dark side.

~Stay alert,~ he told himself. He had expected the Rangers to miss the easy option and to go searching for a way in. Now he needed to check they passed the three tests they were required to fulfil. ~Good luck Rangers,~ he thought. ~You might need it.~

* * *

"Great, just great!" Kimberly muttered as she climbed her way up the side of the tower. She had soon realised how little Thalian's advice had helped. Walking around the side of the tower, she had noticed a set of footholds carefully carved into the walls. She had started to climb as quickly as possible, knowing the climb was going to be a long one.

As she reached what should have been the halfway point she looked up to see how much further she needed to climb. ~That's impossible,~ she thought to herself as she saw how far she still needed to climb. Despite climbing as quickly as possible she had hardly covered an eighth of the wall. Sighing she resumed her climb, hoping that she had enough energy to keep climbing.

~I'm not going to make it,~ she thought to herself. She looked up again and noticed how much further the top seemed to be. *So give up now,* a voice in her head said. *Why do something when you KNOW you will fail?*

Kim ignored the voiced and kept climbing. Despite the wall becoming steeper and the footholds smaller she kept going. She knew the others were relying on her. She had missed being a Ranger and having her friends around her. Especially Tommy. She had known almost as soon as she arrived at Gunther Schmidt's compound that she had made the wrong choice. She had left the man she loved and the friends who meant more to her than anything behind, just for a chance at a dream that might never happen.

After a few months she had sent Tommy the letter, not having the nerve to face him herself. There had been no new boyfriend, Kimberly had simply noticed how Kat had been attracted to him and did not have the heart to come between them. ~Why should he have to wait for me, when there's already somebody he could be happy with?~ Once the letter had been written Kimberly soon realised it was a good decision.

Being away from Tommy had made her realise that they had never really had a future together. Tommy could be fun and friendly and he was one of the gentlest people she knew, but there was always a shadow in the back of his eyes. A secret darkness that kept him held back always scared to get close in case he hurt her.

~For Tommy,~ she thought as she kept going, moving faster. The climb seemed to become easier, the footholds closer together as though her determination was helping her.

~The top has got to be within reach,~ she thought, knowing she had already climbed a long way. She looked up and noticed how close the top she was. ~Almost there.~ She looked a second time and noticed that the top had moved even closer.

* * *

Zack climbed down the stairwell that had appeared. It was obvious he would be trying to enter from below. At the bottom of the ladder he found himself confronted by a blank wall. Looking around he found a button and pushed it. The wall moved to reveal a room at the end of, which was written the word ENTRANCE next to a small door at the right far right-hand side.

Zack's first impulse was to run across the floor as fast as possible to reach the temple. With an effort he suppressed that urge, deciding instead to try the cautious approach. On the ground he noticed some stones and he began throwing them on the floor ahead, which had suddenly transformed into a chessboard pattern.

The first stone had no noticeable effect. The second was equally disappointing, only creating a hollow thud. He tried the third and fourth rows, once again nothing happened and he was almost tempted to go ahead and cross. He had one last stone in his hand and without thinking threw it across the floor. As it hit, a laser beam blasted the floor from above in rapid fire, destroying the stones as it did so.

With a low grinding sound a stone rose from the ground next to him. Zack carefully read the words engraved on the stone: IF YOU ARE READING THIS YOU HAVE ALREADY SHOWN YOUR INTELLIGENCE BY NOT GETTING KILLED. TO CROSS SAFELY FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE BLACK KNIGHT, EVER FORWARD FOUR TIMES.

Figuring the riddle referred to chess, Zack quickly found his way to the black square on the right-hand side. ~Two forward, one across,~ he thought. Slowly he moved across the board, somehow knowing he could only go forward and could only move four times. ~This is too easy,~ he thought. ~Something must happen soon.~

CRACK!

As if on cue a loud noise sounded behind him. Zack turned around to see the floor he had just stepped on collapse into a pit. On the wall was carved: YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY, DID YOU?

From the corner of his eye Zack noticed a black Knight moving towards him, sword drawn, ready for action. He rolled forward as it struck the floor, cautious in case the floor gave way. Forgetting the words on the stone, Zack ran for the exit. The knight was in fast pursuit. As Zack reached the exit, a wall of flames rose from the floor, the heat causing him to retreat.

YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY, DID YOU?

The words were now scorched into the floor beneath him and the knight was still closing. ~Zack,~ he thought to himself, ~you need to find a new day job.~

Ducking the knight's charge, Zack ran around the board, trying to shake his pursuer. ~Come on Zackman, he's not so tough.~ He looked around and was surprised to see the knight had shrunk. It was no longer as fierce and seemed to be moving slower.

~This will never work,~ Zack thought as he attempted to distract the knight with his dance steps. For a moment the knight followed his steps, then it attacked.

"Okay, new strategy," Zack said to himself. He looked around trying to find a weapon or anything he could use as a lever. All he saw was the stone on which his original challenge had been written. ~That's it.~

"Hey ugly!" Zack called, drawing the knight towards the back of the board, making sure he was on a white square. "Let the challenge resume."

He quickly followed the move a knight would make in a chess game. He moved forward two squares and one to the left. As he had expected the floor behind him gave way, as did the floor to his left. The knight who had been chasing him fell into the chasm, allowing Zack to complete the test and enter the next room.

* * *

Kim finally made it to the top of the temple and climbed over the battlements. She rolled onto the cold hard floor happy to be one step closer to her new powers. In front of her she could see the small wooden door leading inside the tower. Carved into the wood were the words: YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY, DID YOU?

The door creaked as it changed to form a face. It seemed to snarl at her. Kimberly took a step back, just to be on the safe side. A dark shadow appeared over the roof, taking the form of a pterodactyl with white specks for eyes.

"Cease," the door creature said. "To enter you must get past me, by answering my questions three."

Kim took a deep breath. "I can do this," she told herself. "Go ahead," she told the face.

"In the morning I move on four legs, in the afternoon I walk on two legs and in the evening I walk on three legs. Tell me now, what am I?"

"You're a human," Kimberly said. "In the morning of its life a human crawls on four legs. Later it is able to walk upright on two legs. And in the evening of its life, a human walks with the help of a cane, the third leg."

"Correct!" the door said. Behind her the shape was becoming more solid and changing to a link pink colour. "Unfortunately one won't do, so answer for me riddle two. How many sides has a circle?"

Kim was tempted so say "none," remembering from the maths that Billy had taught her that a circle had a circumference. Then she thought about the question, visualising the circle in her mind. "Two," she said at last. "An inside and an outside."

"Correct!" the pterodactyl, said, now a bright pink. "Speak one more true and you may walk through."

~This one will be difficult,~ Kim thought. ~I don't know if I can do this.~

"What is Kedjenr of Finra's famous recipe for ice?"

Kimberly's face went blank as she struggled to understand the riddle. She had no idea what he had said. At least she assumed the door was male. She had no idea who Kedjenr of Finra was or what he put in his ice.

The pterodactyl swooped at her, knocking her face down to the floor. She looked down at the floor below her, just making out the words written on the stone: YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY, DID YOU?

~Come on Kimberly, think! What do you use to make ice?~ The answer was so simple she almost dismissed it outright. ~But what else could it be? It has to be right!~

"Water!" she shouted, knowing he would have to accept the answer.

"I am forced to accept that as a correct answer," the face said. "Three answers have you, you may go through."

Kimberly turned to look at the pterodactyl as it flew into her head.

* * *

Thalian had known Kimberly would find the answer. In fact there was no such creature as Kedjenr of Finra. The whole thing had been a test of Kimberly's confidence. He hoped she had learnt the lesson ready for the next test.

Zack had also impressed him. He had not been sure whether the Black Ranger would be able to beat his first test, but as soon as Zack decided he could beat it, he had to succeed.

With the first test complete, now came the more difficult tests to beat. Both Rangers had emotional baggage that the tower would attempt to use against them. They could fight against it, but first they had to realise it was part of the test. Their faith in their friends and their believe in themselves were al they needed. Thalian hoped they would figure that out themselves.

* * *

Zack walked along the plain grey walled corridors, constantly on the look out for the next challenge. He seemed to be in a maze that did not follow the rules a student at the Peace Conference had taught him. Compared to the corridor the long hours of protocol and research seemed exciting.

But he had been called back to action. Back to the friends he had missed in Geneva and the family he had never wanted to leave. Zordon had not given him a chance to choose whether or not he left for Geneva. Instead he had been sent with the others to retrieve the Sword of Light and pass on his powers.

For a time everything had been all right. Zack had thrown himself into his work for the Peace Conference determined to make the best of a bad situation. Then Jason had left and Zack had never felt more alone and jealous in his life. Why did Jason get to be a Ranger again when he had wanted it just as much? When Zordon had asked him to return, Zack had jumped at the chance.

And now he was trapped in a seemingly endless maze. He used his intelligence and stopped walking, deciding to work out how far he had walked. Once he had the answer, he came to the conclusion the exit was around the next corner. He wasn't sure how he knew, he just knew that when he rounded the corner he would have passed the test.

Standing up Zack walked around the corner and exited the maze. Before him was another wooden door, the entrance to the third and final test.

"Hey, where are you going?" a familiar voice asked.

Zack turned to see Jason, Billy, Sam, Kimberly, David, Tanya and Trini all decked out in their new Ranger uniforms. Each of them had removed their helmets and placed them under their arms.

"Yeah, we have all the powers we need Zack," Trini told him. "There's no need for you to finish the test. We can all just return to Earth and you can go back to the Peace Conference"

"But what about my powers?" Zack asked.

"We don't need you Zack!" Billy shouted. "The Rangers have never needed you. The only reason you stayed around was because you were in the Youth Center at the same time as us. Otherwise, there would only have been four Rangers."

Zack choked back the tears, trying hard not to believe what Billy was saying. This had been his worst nightmare since being called back.

"You were never one of us," Jason said.

"Yeah," Kimberly agreed. "Give it up and go home."

"No!" Zack said firmly. "I came here to get some new powers to protect my world from the forces of evil. Now if you won't have me, that's fine. But I'm going to complete this quest."

Zack moved towards the door. As expected Jason moved to intercept and Zack found himself eye to eye with his former leader. ~This isn't happening. Jason is my friend!~

"You're not Jason," Zack suddenly realised. "And if you're not Jason then I can fight you and win."

A loud banshee like a scream filled the room as Jason and the other disappeared. Zack took a final look around before walking through the door and into an even worse nightmare.

* * *

The second test for Kimberly was a long empty corridor. On the far wall she could make out the words: YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY, DID YOU?

Now she knew there was a trap set for her. She looked carefully at the walls and could make out the thin outlines of laser emitters, not powerful enough to shoot at her, but evidence of a trigger mechanism. Above them she could see a series of holes possibly indicating where something could be released.

"There's got to be another way," she said out loud, knowing that if she had to her gymnastics would allow her to avoid the lasers, ~If I could only see them.~

Kimberly looked up at the roof and spotted a set of rungs sunk into the concrete. ~I can make that jump,~ she thought. Lowering herself to the ground, she sprang upwards, reaching out to grab the first rung. Swinging hand over hand, she moved across the ceiling, using all her strength to take up as little space as possible.

About halfway over she detected a movement. Without warning the rung she was holding broke away, threatening to throw her to the floor. Kimberly acted quickly, hooking her foot around the nearest rung and hanging upside down. Her hair passed through one of the lasers, causing the room to shake. As she looked down the lower parts of the wall closed together. Then at high speed they opened again revealing an empty space where the floor had once been.

~Time to stop hanging around,~ Kim thought.

Reaching backwards she grabbed the next rails and recommenced her journey across the ceiling. Finally she reached the end of the corridor and landed on the floor. The wooden door was right next to her and she reached out to open it.

"Kimberly!"

Kim turned around towards the new voice. On the platform just behind her stood Tommy. He fixed her with his puppy dog eyes and gave her the smile that had melted her heart so long ago.

"Hey beautiful," he said, running his hand through her hair.

"T-tommy, what are you doing here?" Kim asked.

"I've come to take you home Kim," Tommy told her. "I never loved Kat, I just missed you. Come home and we'll find a place to settle down."

"What about the Rangers?" Kim asked, taken aback by the way her dreams were coming true. She had hoped she still had a chance with Tommy.

"They can manage," Tommy said. "As long as we're together, nothing else matters. Let's go." He attempted to kiss her, but Kim pulled away sharply.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "I know Tommy Oliver and he is devoted to his duty as a Ranger. He would never give up being a Ranger for his own selfish reasons."

The Tommy look alike retreated slightly as Kimberly looked at him sternly. "Please Kim, don't go!"

Kimberly opened the door and walked through, realising that she no longer loved Tommy Oliver. That he had been a small piece of her life. They might be friends forever, but they could never be together. He was devoted to his duty, but she needed somebody who would not need to close her out on a regular basis.

* * *

~Two down, one to go,~ Thalian thought. Both Rangers had come to terms with some of their feelings. Zack had realised his friends would never turn their backs on him. Hopefully one day Zordon would reveal the true reason why he insisted Zack, Jason and Trini had gone to Geneva. Kimberly on the other hand was starting to understand her feelings for Tommy. She still had some way to go, but had at least admitted the truth to herself.

Now the Rangers would need to show they could cope if they were to lose something valuable to both of them. The tower had discovered what made both of them special and was about to take advantage of it as part of the test.

~Be strong Rangers,~ Thalian thought. ~The Power will be yours if you are true to yourselves.~

* * *

~I'm old!~ Zack realised as he walked into the room. His skin had shrivelled like an old prune, his eyesight had grown poor and every move hurt due to arthritis.

He looked around at his surroundings and found himself in a nursing home. He caught the attention of a young nurse who walked over to him.

"There you are Mr Taylor, we've all been worried about you. What with the monster alarms."

"You know me?" Zack asked, confused.

"Of course we do Mr Taylor," the nurse said cheerfully. "Don't you remember? The others brought you here when you failed your quest for the new powers."

"Others?"

"Yes Tommy and Jason. They were very concerned about you and told us you were once a Power Ranger." The nurse looked around to ensure nobody could overhear them. "Of course, apart from the director and myself nobody is aware of this small fact. Your secret is safe and I am sure the others will be able to save you once again."

"Thank you," Zack said as the nurse helped him sit down. "Is Minion still on the loose then?"

"Of course not Mr Taylor. The others dealt with him as soon as they got back. I don't think you need to worry about him again." As she spoke the nurse wheeled Zack around the nursing home towards his room. Normally Zack might have noticed that he had not been in a wheelchair when he had sat down. Right now, Zack was too scared to think straight.

Of all the things Zack had valued, his youth and ability to have fun had been one of them. His time as a Ranger had made him even more aware of how precious life was. Now it was gone. He was too old to help his friends, have fun or even remember what it had been like to do so.

As the nurse entered Zack's room she made a quick check to ensure everything was as it should be. She caught sight of the tape player Zack had stored in one corner, a collection of his favourite music nearby in a neat pile.

"Now Mr Taylor, you have been warned that policy forbids the playing of loud music of any type. I suppose your friends smuggled this in?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Zack replied.

"Well I'm sorry, Mr Taylor, no music allowed." That said the nurse turned and left the room, leaving Zack alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Angel Grove High School had always been the place where Kimberly was the center of attention. She had many admirers who would watch her closely when she was in the hallways. Today though nobody seemed to be looking at her. In fact, most of the students were going out of their way to avoid looking at her.

"Miss Hart," Mr Caplan called from down the hall. "Haven't you forgotten something?"

Seeing the blank look he received, the principal reached into his pocket and produced a brown paper bag. He handed it to Kimberly who looked at it questionably.

"For your head," Caplan explained. "Put it on."

"You must be joking," Kim retorted.

"Young Lady, put that bag over your head or you will be removed from the premises."

Kimberly looked at the bag again; thinking it was a prank and put it over her head. Around the corridor students sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Miss Hart," Caplan said. "You may go to your lessons now."

Kimberly did as she was told, leaving the lockers and heading to the girls' toilets where she could see what was on the bag. Once inside she looked in the mirror and was amazed to find it was nothing more than a bag.

"I tell you, if Mr Caplan hadn't stepped in with that bag I could have vomited."

Kimberly ducked into a cubicle as two of her classmates entered. One was Aisha and the other was Trini. They were talking about someone and for a moment Kimberly was tempted to join in. Until that was, she realised they were referring to her.

"I can't help feeling sorry for her," Trini said. "I mean, if it hadn't been for that accident during the quest to Dairon, she would still have her looks."

"I know," Aisha replied. "I just can't bring myself to talk to her. Do you think she remembers what happened?"

"I doubt it," Trini replied. "Zordon made sure she had no recollection of the events that happened. Unfortunately it means we have to leave her alone or she might start to remember."

"It's just that she looks..."

Kimberly lost the rest of the conversation as Trini and Aisha left. Gingerly Kimberly walked outside and looked in the mirror. Taking a deep breath she lifted the bag, looked in the mirror and fainted.

* * *

*You're old,* a voice said, waking Zack from his sleep. *You're weak. Why don't you give up now and go back home. It's not too late. Zordon can turn back time so you never took the test. All you have to do is agree.*

~No,~ Zack replied.

*Why not?* the voice asked. *You gave up your youth to become a Ranger. You served well and held Rita and Zedd at bay for a long time. And how does Zordon say thank you? He sends you away from your home and your friends without even asking what you wanted.*

~Zordon had his reasons,~ Zack thought, trying to convince himself.

*Face it Zack, you're washed up, yesterday's Ranger, ready for the scrap heap.*

Zack thought about everything that being a Ranger had cost him. The fact he had to lie to his parents and friends, constantly worrying when the next strike would come. And even when Rita didn't attack, he still had to deal with growing up. Except every time he had a problem somebody would create a monster to make it worse.

Then Zack thought about what he had gained. As a Ranger he had learnt to have confidence in himself. Jason had even taught him karate to help him in battle. Billy had helped him with his homework. Kim and Trini were always there when he needed someone to talk to or cheer him up. In fact, being a Ranger had secured him five of the closest friends he had ever had. Before becoming a Ranger he had had a strong friendship with Jason, Kimberly, Trini and Billy, but as Rangers that friendship became stronger.

Then Tommy had joined them and he had another friend. The six of them had been inseparable over their time as Rangers both in fighting and in the other aspects of their lives. And now when he had had a chance to become a Ranger again, he had failed.

~Wait a minute! If Zordon can arrange for me to travel back before I took the test, I could still help the others without powers.~

*Why?* the voice asked. *You're old.*

~I'm as old as I feel,~ Zack thought. The idea of shouting with his thoughts was a new notion and Zack was amazed how forceful he could be.

Zack noticed that as he started to become positive, so he started to get younger. His mind started to work overtime, calculating why this had happened. Then he realised, ~Failing and not being able to be a Ranger is my worst fear.~

Suddenly things started to make sense. Throughout his journey, things had gotten more difficult every time he had been negative about his quest. The chessboard had been a test of his ability to think quickly. His confrontation with the others had been based around his fear of rejection. And this was based on his fear of failure.

"I haven't failed!" he cried out loud. "And I'm not going to fail."

He watched as his body reverted to its previous form. In front of him the room change and a door appeared in the far wall. On top of the door were the words: IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT!

Zack turned the handle, opened the door and walked into the main chamber. Inside he saw Kimberly arrive through the other side. She too was smiling. Thalian appeared in the center of the room and looked at both of them, nodding happily.

* * *

~I'm hideous,~ Kim thought as she regained consciousness. Her face was horribly disfigured and twisted. She began to wonder what had happened to her that made her so ugly.

*But you've always been ugly,* a voice said. *Why else would Tommy have left you for Kat?*

Kim knew it was true. Although she had written the letter, it had been as a precaution against Tommy dumping her. She knew Kat had been desperately trying to get her hands on Tommy since the day she arrived in Angel Grove. Kat was tall and blonde, while she was a short brunette. She seriously doubted had it come down to a choice that Tommy would have chosen Kat.

~No,~ Kim thought. ~You left Tommy because you didn't want him be lonely.~

*Yeah right,* the voice said. *You knew you'd lose him because you're nothing but an ugly, worthless piece of human excrement.*

Kimberly sank to the floor as the word ate away at her. She knew they were true and nothing she could do would change that.

~Crap!~ She thought. ~Come on Kim, you know that looks are not everything. And if you lost them trying to help the others, so what?~

She started to think more clearly; suddenly realising this was one of her deepest fears. She had always been known for her looks and although a fine athlete, it would have been her face she was judged by. In that moment of time Kimberly understood what had been happening. The three riddles had been a test. She could have given any answer ass long as she believed it was true. The image of Tommy had been based on her desires and she had conquered them. Now the tower was testing her abilities to conquer her fears.

~I am not ugly!~ She thought. ~And if I am, then I am not going to let my looks rule my life.~

In the mirror Kimberly saw her face revert to its normal appearance. The room changed into an empty room with the familiar door. Above the door were the words: IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT!

Kimberly walked through the door to see Zack already they're waiting for her. Thalian appeared and seemed to smile as he gestured for them both to come closer.

* * *

Kimberly and Zack had recovered from their ordeals and had spent the last hour talking with Thalian. It turned out the Temple of the Mind's Eye chose their tests by selecting either fears or desires they may be carrying as well as a simple test of will. Thalian also revealed that had they walked through the middle door, they would have been in the main chamber without testing.

"Of course if that had happened you would not have received your powers," Thalian explained. "A true Rangers knows the obvious is usually either a trap or the path to evil. You were true to yourselves."

"Now, it is time to receive your powers," Thalian told them.

"Stop!" a deep voice boomed. "Do not take the Ranger powers. Come to me and I will give you all the power you could want." An old man in a long red robe stood before him.

"No, come to me and I will give you the power to crush Minion without endangering your friends," a light female voice called.

Zack and Kimberly exchange looks and then looked at Thalian. The Morphin Master shrugged, suggesting it was their choice whether they accepted or not.

"I don't want power," Kimberly said. "All I need is the power to protect my planet. And as for you," she said pointing at the woman.

"Rangers are a team," Zack finished.

"Good choice, you have overcome temptation and proved yourself worthy avatars of the Power," Thalian told them. "Now step forward and claim that which is yours."

Zack watched as Thalian flipped four coins into the air. For a moment they moved around. Then they stopped as though waiting for Thalian to tell them what to do. "Zachary Taylor, you have proven yourself to be the embodiment of the Black Ranger. You have overcome your fears and shown that you are capable of studying an opponent before acting. Because of this I grant you the power of the Black Ranger."

On the four coins images started to engrave themselves. On the first coin appeared the Mastodon; on the second coin appeared the Lion; and on the third a picture of the Frog appeared. The three coins joined, waiting for the final coin to join them. On that coin a picture of Zack appeared. It grew larger and thinner. Before too long it was able to fold around the other three coins to form a small golden ball. As Zack held out his hand, the coin landed in his palm. Zack examined it and could make out all four Aspects.

"Kimberly Ann Hart," Thalian said next. "You have proven yourself to be true to yourself even when the truth is unpleasant. You are the confident heart of the team, willing if necessary to fight whatever the cost. From this day forth you will be the Pink Ranger."

Kimberly found herself surrounded by the animal spirits of the Pterodactyl, Firebird and Crane. As one they flew into her chest, emerging again as a coin formed in front of her. As they hit the coin, their features became engraved on the surface. Then Kimberly's face was etched into the coin's surface. In a flash the coin was transformed into a golden ball and came to rest in her hand.

"You are both now and forever Power Rangers," Thalian told them. "Now I sense Jason and Sam have both succeeded as well. We should return to the Juruyella and join them in training. It's Morphin Time!"

"Black Ranger Power!" Zack called.

"Pink Ranger Power!" Kimberly called.

"Griffin!" Thalian called. Silver armour grew around him to make him appear similar to Ninjor. Then the armour changed colour to yellow.

**End of Part **


	28. The Quest for Power Part 4 - The Trial

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Quest for Power Part 4 - Trial of Spirit

Temple of Ninja Powers

In three columns of light Billy, Trini and Ninjor appeared inside the grounds of the temple. They were tired and dirty having spent the last three days on one of Ninjor's nature hikes. Ninjor had removed his battle armour and now appeared before them as a deep tanned American with long black hair. This was not his true form, but like any other master his powers allowed him to appear in a form comfortable for humans to look at.

Billy and Trini were both wearing black uniforms made from some sort of animal hide. Billy's had a small badge on the left breast, a leftover from the previous owner.

For Trini it was a chance to once again back up her words with actions. The Peace Conference had been important to her and she had learnt about a wide variety of countries and people. But there had been times when she understood how Jason had felt. More often than not debates broke down into deadlocked arguments requiring hours or days of negotiation for even simple compromises.

"Congratulations Billy and Trini, you have excellent training during your time here," Ninjor said in his unique voice; without his armour he sounded even more bizarre. "Jason, Kimberly, Zack and Sam have already taken their tests, and have passed. I felt that you needed to learn a little more, before subjecting you to my tests, but now it is time. To gain your new powers you must simply repeat the journey Billy and his friends took when they first came to this place, with a few minor changes to keep things fair of course."

"I am afraid that you must each face the challenges ahead alone and unaided. Billy has already walked through the Desert of Despair and would find the path too easy. Therefore, I will send Trini to the Desert of Despair to prove herself worthy of the Power. And for you Billy, I believe the Caves of Self will provide a more interesting challenge."

In two columns of yellow and blue light the two hopeful Rangers left for destinations unknown. If either Billy or Trini had been upset by the fact they were to be separated, then they his it well from Ninjor. Billy had looked almost relieved that he would be alone. Ninjor assumed that even after all the time he had had to think, the former Blue Ranger was still feeling responsible for the destruction of Aquitar. ~It's a natural enough reaction,~ he thought. Billy's grief was still influencing the boy's decisions and would be something Billy would either deal with or be consumed by.

Trini had seemed slightly nervous at being alone, but that was also to be expected. The Rangers had always been a team and this was the first time Trini would not have her friends to turn to. Ninjor knew that Trini would be strong enough to cope. After all, she had been with the Rangers when they had started. She had probably witnessed some of Rita Repulsa's scariest creations and remained as a Ranger. He knew Trini would soon discover that no Ranger is ever truly alone.

When the lights had disappeared, Ninjor returned his attention to playing his part in the final test. The Rangers could pass some of the other tests providing they had the strength of character and determination to pass his test. Having ensured his props were ready Ninjor decided it was time to learn his lines. "To be or not to be, that is the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows... Wrong part, ah here we are... Be gone, I have no time to deal with outsid..."

Despite his sacred duty to protect the Temple of Ninja Power, Ninjor was not the type to allow himself to become a workaholic, at least not anymore, and he was still capable of being witty when he wanted. Life inside the Temple was lonely and Ninjor was used to making himself laugh. Whether anybody else would find him funny was a question he had never even considered asking himself.

~Good luck Rangers,~ Ninjor thought. ~Power willing you will soon be returning to Earth and putting and end to evil.~

* * *

Billy appeared outside the Caves of Self and looked around. On the ground in front of him were the remains of several creatures, nonhuman in origin. ~This isn't going to be easy,~ Billy thought as he entered the cave.

The first thing that Billy noticed was the darkness of the cave, or rather the lack of darkness. The cave seemed to be illuminated by small crystals hidden within the cave all. Somehow they managed to illuminate the way ahead, giving Billy a clear view of the way ahead. The crystals also allowed him to pick out the jagged edges of the floor, causing him to tread carefully.

As he moved slowly forward, he kept his eyes open, searching for any sign of the first test. He stopped abruptly as the ground ahead opened into a wide chasm. Warily he looked for some way across and found none.

~This is illogical,~ he thought as he kept searching. ~There has to be some way across or there would be an alternative route.~

* * *

Trini had heard the Rangers tell of their experiences in the Desert of Despair and believed she knew what to expect when she arrived. She quickly dismissed that thought when she arrived and found the real Desert of Despair to be a whole lot worse. The cold wind howled with the sound of a thousand lost souls.

She could feel the heat of the sand even through her uniform's boots. The sun beat down causing her to sweat and she had not even begun her journey. Deciding it was better to keep moving than be roasted by the hot sun Trini began her trek through the desert towards the Temple of Ninja Powers. She had no idea where the temple was, but somehow felt compelled to follow the sun.

Slowly trekking across the sand, she found her progressed slowed by the sand under foot. The dry thin powdered grains caused his feet to sink below the surface. The wind whipped her eyes, blowing sand into her face. Nevertheless, she struggled onwards into the sandstorm determined to reach her destination.

* * *

Billy examined his surroundings. There was no evidence of concealed doorways or secret controls to activate a bridge. The ceiling and walls had no notches carved into them. Billy wondered if perhaps the chasm in front of him was as deep as it looked. Gathering some small stones, he threw them into the gap. The first few stones disappeared into the darkness with no evidence of hitting a surface below. The fourth stone however seemed to float in the air.

~There's something down there,~ he thought to himself as he tried to get a better view. Billy reached out and touched the stone as it hovered in space. Then he moved his hand to one side and could still make out a solid surface. ~This can't be real,~ he thought.

No sooner had the thought entered his head than the effect was felt. The stone, which had until that time been hovering in the air, fell into the chasm below. The hardness below Billy's hand was also gone and he realised the bridge was real as long as he believed it was real. ~So to cross this chasm, I must have faith in myself that I can cross and faith that the bridge will support me,~ he thought, ~Almost a leap of faith.~

"I can do this!" he shouted, more to himself than anybody who might be listening. Taking a small run up he leapt into the air, landing safely on the invisible bridge and kept running until he could see the ground beneath him again. He turned back to see the way he had just journeyed and could just make out the path barely visible against the darkness below.

Once he was rested, Billy resumed his journey, deeper into the cave, knowing that he had to complete his quest or die in the attempt.

*But death is such a tempting option, isn't it?* Billy was not sure how he heard the voice. It might have been telepathy or even empathy. Either way he was forced to listen as it continued to speak. *Just think, if you die you can be with Cestria again. Why live without her when you can join her now? Just give up and you will be free.*

It took a lot of effort, but Billy was able to overcome the temptation and continue his quest. It worried him he had come so close to giving in when his journey had barely even begun.

* * *

For Trini it was impossible to tell how far she had travelled or even where she had stepped just seconds before. The sand beneath her moved almost as soon as she did, covering her footsteps and leaving no evidence she was ever there. ~How long am I going to be here?~ She wondered.

*Forever,* an unknown voice said. Trini looked around, but could find nobody and knew the voice was in her head. *No single person has ever crossed the Desert of Despair. Only a team can complete the journey, but nobody wanted to come with you.*

Trini pressed on, realising that the voice was trying to slow her. *Even on Earth nobody wants to be with you. Why else do you think Zordon banished you to the Peace Conference? Why else do you think Jason left you there and returned to Angel Grove? Why else would Billy leave for another planet? It's because you drove them to do so. You are weak, Trini Kwan, weak and useless. Nobody wants you back, but they had to send you along so they could say they tried, but even if you succeed, Zordon will take your powers away again as soon as he can.*

The words were having an affect not only on Trini, but also on her environment. The Sand became watery and less substantial. It was no longer able to support her weight, causing Trini to start to sink. All the time the voice kept talking to her, telling her how useless she was and how she should just give up. Trini stopped moving. Not because every movement drove her deeper into the sand, but because she started to lose the will to complete her mission.

*Give it up,* the voice insisted. *You don't need the Rangers and they definitely do not need you!*

Images started to flash through her mind, showing all the times she had been in trouble in battle, waiting for her team-mates to help her out, all the times she had fallen victim to a monster attack or let her fears overcome her. The picture of her disappearing from the Island of Illusion drove her deeper into despair.

*Why not just let yourself sink into the sand and disappear, like you did on the Island?*

~But I didn't disappear on the Island of Illusion,~ she thought. ~Quagmire helped me remember when I faced my fears and I was able to overcome them.~

The thought helped to filter out the voice for a short time, long enough to form her defences. "That's enough!" she shouted angrily. "Zordon did not send me to the Peace Conference just because he did not want me around. He knew I could make the world a better place in more ways than just being a Ranger. And Jason did not leave me there because he hated me; he did so because Tommy needed him and he would do anything to help a friend. And Billy left for Aquitar so he could live. If once he was there, he found love then that was the way it was meant to be."

As she spoke, Trini could feel herself lifting from the sand. "And so what if I get the Power and Zordon takes it away. If he believes I am not capable of being a Ranger I would not put the team at risk by arguing. If he believes the situation no longer requires the Yellow Morphin Ranger then my job is done. Either way, I am going to do my best until evil is defeated or Zordon takes my power. And no doubts are going to stop me!"

When she was at last able to move forward, Trini did so as quickly as possible, determined she would not stop until she was clear of the danger.

* * *

In his temple, Ninjor had finished preparing the last of the Power Coins. With each Ranger requiring four different coins, each of which needed to be able to form together to create their morphers, Ninjor had been severely tested in regards to his skills. But making Power Coins and morphers was what Ninjor excelled at. He had tried to become an active fighter again, but since the Rangers had moved to the Zeo Powers he had felt obsolete.

He turned from his work and studied the small Viewing Globe that allowed him to check the progress of those attempting to reach him. Both Billy and Trini had completed their first test. Billy had opened his mind to accept that the bridge was there and Trini had come to terms with her own feelings of isolation. So far both were well on track to once again becoming Rangers. Of course for Billy the test was just starting. Now he had to face not only his fears, but his own anger as well.

The shift in the Morphin Grid was phenomenal. Never had Ninjor felt so much good power in such a small area. He knew that if successful Trini and Billy would soon be joining their friends.

* * *

Billy found the cave ahead of him was starting to show signs of life. Along the walls tree roots were sticking out and in some places blocking his route. Algae and Moss were growing; suggesting the ground must be water based and open to sunlight at some point during the day. The scientific analysis allowed him to keep his mind off the voices in his head.

They had given up telling him to quit and were not trying to build his anger concerning Cestria's death along with various other matters. Although he tried not to let the voices get to him, some of the things they said made sense. Who had been responsible for the death of Cestria? He had a strong suspicion it was Minion.

As he grew angrier, Billy noticed a faint blue glow in front of him. He reached out and gripped something solid. As he pulled it back, he found it was a silver cylinder approximately twelve inches in length. On the top were three buttons. Tentatively Billy pressed the first button and a blue beam of light shot from the top of the cylinder to form a blade of light almost as long as Billy's arm.

~It's a Lightsaber,~ Billy thought in amazement. Carefully at first, but gaining confidence all the time Billy practised a few simple strokes. He could feel the power behind the blade, which was not hot, just deadly.

He pressed the middle button and felt the cylinder grow longer to allow a firm two-handed grip. It was the final button that shocked him. As he pressed it a second beam of light shot from the base of the weapon forming a second blade. Billy tried a few practice swings and was surprised at how easy it was to use the blade. He then deactivated the weapon and placed it into his subspace pocket.

He carried on deeper into the cave. He stopped as he sensed an overwhelming presence in front of him. Although he had only a little skill, Billy's telepathy told him that the thing in front was evil. However, being a Ranger meant Billy could not destroy somebody for that reason only. If he did, he was no better than those he fought against.

Billy walked further into the cave until he could make out a pair of red specks in the darkness. He recognised them as the eyes of his most hated enemy. Although he had never fought Minion properly, Billy felt he knew him and had reason to hate him. A deep red light came into being and Billy knew Minion also had a Lightsaber.

*Go, kill him!* the voice said. *He killed those you love. He deserves to die. Kill him now!*

Billy buried the thoughts deep inside and activated his own weapon. He had no intention of killing unless he had to. Personally he hoped he would be forced to do so.

Without warning Minion charged forward, his weapon striking the stone walls where Billy had been just moments before. Billy brought his own blade around to block and started to fight back. He used his anger to power his blows, forcing Minion back. Suddenly he felt compelled to activate his second blade, swinging it in a wide arc to slice through Minion's weapon. But Billy was not finished. He used his blade to force Minion to his knees. Then he switched to single blade mode and brought it upward ready to make the killing blow.

*Do it,* the voice urged. *He killed your wife. Kill him and be at peace.*

"No!" Billy shouted. "Cestria would never want me to murder somebody just for revenge. He is defeated and I will not become a murderer."

*So be it,* the voice said. *But if you won't kill him, he must kill you.*

Minion's weapon suddenly reappeared fully restored. He jumped to his feet and lashed out at the former Blue Ranger. Billy ducked under the blade, bringing his own blade upward to slice off the creature's head.

"I said I would not murder him, but you forced me to do so. I regret having to kill anyone even Minion, but I would do it again."

The voice fell silent knowing that Billy had gained control of his rage and the fear of losing control. He had passed the second test and now it was the time for him to prove being a Ranger was not all he cared about.

* * *

Trini could see the temple not far in front of her. She ran forward as fast as she could, hardly daring to hope she had finally escaped from the desert. As she got closer, she heard someone calling for help. The door of the temple opened as the cries got louder.

Trini found herself torn between her desire to gain her powers and the cries for help. If she got the powers, she could go back and help. She would only be a short time and then she could help. The powers would make her stronger, giving her a chance to help. And if came down to a choice between one cry for help and the chance to help save her planet, surely the needs of the many would outweigh the needs of the few, wouldn't they?

"No," she told herself. She spoke out loud, trying to make herself listen to reason. "I cannot justify omitting to help someone just because there's a chance I might be able to help everybody else. The ends do not justify the means."

That said she turned and ran towards the source of the cry for help. She arrived to find a young girl sinking into the sand.

"Grab my hand," she called.

The girl did so and was pulled to safety. Then, she disappeared as if she was never there. Trini shrugged and returned to the temple. The doors were once again closed, but this time she ignored them. The temple was an illusion designed to test. Now she refused to believe it and walked through and into the final test.

* * *

Ninjor sensed both Billy and Trini approaching. He was pleased that Billy had managed to control his anger. It would probably take time for him to come to terms with Cestria's death, but at least he would not break the rules in her name. Ninjor was glad; such an act would not only have serious repercussions for Billy, but would dishonour Cestria's memory.

Now it was time for Ninjor to ensure that Billy and Trini would be able to fight as Rangers. The task was simple enough: create a few attackers and get the Rangers to fight them. Last time Billy had been to the temple, Rita and Zedd had saved Ninjor the trouble of creating some foot soldiers by sending the Tengas.

Still, there was nothing he could do but go ahead with his plan and hope that the Rangers were as good as he thought they were.

* * *

Billy and Trini reunited in a rocky valley. Together they started searching for the temple entrance. "Typical," Billy said. "Where's a good butt kicking when you need one?" Seeing the look on Trini's face he explained that the first time they had found the temple because the Tengas had been kicking their butts and one of them happened to stumble on the right place.

As if on call a bunch of blue skinned ninjas appeared. "You asked for it," Trini told him. Billy's reply went unheard as he threw himself into battle.

After a few minutes both Rangers were tired. The attackers were armed with wooden clubs and it was difficult to get close enough to fight them. It was then that Billy remembered he still had the Lightsaber from earlier.

"Trini, duck," he called as he activated both blades and started to wade through the attackers. Their bodies crumbled as quickly as their clubs and soon enough they retreated altogether.

"Congratulations," Ninjor said, stepping out of the rocks. "You have both proven yourselves worthy of the Power. Rest now and then we shall finish the ceremony."

Billy and Trini took the invitation and collapsed to the ground to rest.

* * *

Ninjor stood before his two young Rangers. Both had succeeded in passing the tests, as he had known they would. Now all that remained was to give them their powers.

"Trini Kwan, you have overcome your own doubts and were willing to give up the power in order to save a life. You understood that the ends never justify the means and have proven yourself a worthy fight. It is due to this that I grant you the power of the Saber-toothed Tiger, Griffin and Bear. You are now and forever the Yellow Ranger."

When Ninjor finished speaking, he placed four coins in her hands. Four of them showed her animal guides. The last coin showed the image of the Yellow Ranger. Instinctively she closed her hand and felt them change into a single ball. When she opened her hand again, she found it bore the images of all her powers. Concentrating, she summoned her morpher and placed the ball inside where it resembled a singe Power Coin.

"Now for you William," Ninjor said. "You have once again proven yourself worthy of the Ninja Powers. You controlled your anger in battle, had the foresight to use a different weapon when the need dictated and you showed you are able to trust your instincts. I restore to you the powers of the Wolf, along with the Triceratops and Unicorn. You are once again the Blue Ranger."

As he had done with Trini, Ninjor placed the four Power Coins into Billy's palm. Billy closed his hand around the coins and then reopened it to reveal his Power Ball. Once again a morpher formed around the ball.

"Okay," Ninjor said. "Let's morph and then we can start the real training. It's Morphin Time!"

"Blue Ranger Power!" Billy called.

"Yellow Ranger Power!" Trini called.

"Wolf!" Ninjor called, activating his battle armour. "Right, let's train," he said as he led them into the temple.

**End of Part **


	29. The Quest for Power Part 5 - The Trial

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

The Quest for Power Part 5 - Trial of Worth

Phaedos

While three weeks had passed for Ninjor, Saurian and Thalian's trainees, for David and Aisha it had been much longer. While their friends trained in areas that altered the flow of time, on Phaedos the ancient ruins that extended for miles had been enchanted to distort time while they were inside its influence. Therefore they had more time to train and in Dulcea's opinion they needed every moment of it. Dulcea had drilled them constantly, forcing them to reach beyond their limits before she allowed them to embrace the Power.

"You have both trained hard over the last few weeks," Dulcea told them. "You have covered many of the subjects that you need to know, but time has run out. If you spend any longer in this place without the protection of the Power, you will be unable to leave. So before I can teach you further you must prove yourself worthy of the powers. Then we can join the others on Juruyella.

You will be teleported to the Maze of Shilratha. From there your task is to reach the center. When both of your trials are completed, you will be teleported to your final task."

The landscape around them changed. Aisha was teleported to one end of the maze while David was sent to the other end.

* * *

David ran off along his path, following the markers.

David ran along lightly, it would be a long run so he was pacing himself. He jumped a couple of hurdles and dodged a patch in the path he thought might have had a pit under a thin covering of branches and dirt. The path was by no means smooth; he jumped fallen logs and had to be careful of branches and roots. Finally he came to the first real obstacle, the bank of a lake. There was a light purple kayak on the bank with a paddle and life vest. David put on the vest, grabbed the paddle and jumped into the kayak. He knew how to paddle from a short group of lessons. The one time his father had taken him overseas they had gone kayaking. The experience was one of David's favourite memories. As he paddled, he wondered how large the maze could be if it had room for a river?

David reached the far side and dragged the kayak up a bit onto the land. He had had to battle with the current and pass many logs, but he'd made it over. He took off the vest and ran off again along the path. Suddenly a gigantic spider leaped at him from its hiding spot beside the path. David dove and rolled under it, without thinking he picked up a fallen branch. David gripped it in his right hand, found his inner calm, becoming one with the weapon as Dulcea had taught him. Then he attacked, the branch jamming into the spider's open mouth and down its throat. He didn't need to do more as the spider was suddenly more concerned with the obstruction in its throat than catching the human. David backed away from the thing and began running again, dropping the branch as he ran.

David had only run for a bit when he saw something odd ahead; he ran up and stopped. A plant lay in the path, and David had to dodge as it reached its tentacles towards him. Instead of panicking though he looked deep inside, summoning the fire as Dulcea had taught him. Fire erupted around him and David ran on as the plant cringed back quickly, leaving a wide path clear.

Eventually David reached another body of water. He'd had to scale one wall of the maze only to find that the ravine on the far side was an illusion. He had crossed a raging river by using stepping stones hidden under the surface, fought and beaten a number of natural predators. Now it appeared that he had to sail across. David jumped in the boat, fixed a hole in the bottom, and angled the sail so that it caught the wind and set off on the next part of his quest.

Everything was going fine until a long tentacle shot out of the water beside the boat. David reacted by burning it quickly. He'd been expecting something, but not this. The kraken slapped at him with another tentacle, David picked up one of the oars he had found and shoved it under the water, hard into the beast. The tentacle didn't even flinch away; he tried again, same result. Another tentacle rose from the water, soon followed by what looked like the kraken's dark brown back. The entire beast turned until one huge grey and black-eye looked up at David.

"Hello there, I mean you no harm."

It blinked once and stirred its tentacles.

"Please, let me pass," David said hoping it would let him alone. He wasn't sure if the Power's ability to translate other languages extended to animals.

The kraken rolled again, now the other eye peered at him. Then David noticed a great slash near the eye, and what looked like a spear in it. David understood instantly what the kraken wanted. He pulled on the weapon and waited while the spear rose out of the cut and dropped down into the water. The cut healed quickly and the gash was replaced with a pinkish scar. The kraken shifted again and slowly a tentacle curled around the boat. David held on tight as he and the sailboat were raised high above the water and lifted across the lake where they were set down again on the shore.

"Thanks!" David called and the tip of a tentacle waved idly and David waved back before hurrying on.

It was dark; the high hedges formed a canopy blocking out most of the sun. The trail was narrow and rough, just when he was beginning to wonder if he'd missed the next obstacle David saw a small clearing up ahead. He sprinted towards it but didn't enter, he cautiously looked around and a glimmer of gold to his left caught his eye. Looking closely David could make out the form of a horse in the trees, no, horses didn't grow that big; it could only be a unicorn. Smiling grimly David ran into the sunlight, keeping to the left side of the clearing. Just as he reached the center, the unicorn leaped out from hiding with a shrill neigh. A jet of light shot from its horn, David ducked and the blast knocked over the tree behind him. The unicorn turned and kicked, flicking out its tail of flames. A hoof struck out, David dived and rolled, and coming to his feet he saw the unicorn rear, screaming angrily it tilted its head down and dove at him, intending to spear him on its horn. David dodged again and jumped away from its flying mane of golden fire. The unicorn pivoted with amazing speed and kicked with both hind legs, turning its neck and an angle to shoot another jet of power at him. David dodged the kick and ran, the unicorn in close pursuit. He remembered a place not far way where there was a patch of quick sand. As he approached, he leapt into the air and watched, as the unicorn kept moving.

The ground beneath its hooves turned gave way and in moments the unicorn was up to its neck in the stuff. David stopped it from going farther under but left it in the quicksand. He let the unicorn thrash itself to exhaustion. David waited calmly, catching his breath, knowing that it would take a long time to tire it. Surprisingly though before the unicorn reached the point of desperation, it started to float out of the sand, using its horn. Finally it was standing again, panting, exhausted from fighting the quicksand. David waited, knowing there was no point in running now he had tricked it once. Finally it lifted its head a bit, looked at him for a moment, and then charged.

David waited until it was a few feet away then he brought up his right hand, palm forward. The unicorn stopped in a shower of dried leaves, dirt, and hot breath and sank the tip of its horn deep into his hand his hand. David gasped in pain but forced himself to stay still. For what seemed like hours but really just minutes David waited, scarcely daring to breathe, time seemed to stand still. How long they stood like that David didn't know, but suddenly the unicorn stepped back and lifted its head to look him right in the eye. As the horn slid out of his palm the cut healed, leaving only a tiny scar so small David couldn't see what it really looked like in his palm. All he could see was a small white dot, no bigger then the tip of a quill.

"I won't hurt you, I just want to pass." David said softly, now that he really got a good look at it he could see that it was a very young unicorn, though it was very large for its age. It couldn't have been long away from its mother. The fact that it was alone probably meant it was a stallion, chased away from its herd by a stronger, older, stallion. David continued to murmur encouraging things to it as he walked forward and petted it lightly on the shoulder. He could feel the unicorn tense under his hand, ready to kill him in a second. David gave it a last rub and walked on, he knew if he ran it might chase him and it could run a lot faster then he. He left the clearing and walked on through the woods, suddenly he heard hoof beats and the unicorn trotted up beside him. David sped up a bit, so did the unicorn, he reached out and rested a hand on its shoulder and broke into a run. They ran along the dark path for nearly twenty minutes, sliding down steep slopes and jumping logs and wading across small streams. David slowed as he saw another area where the maze grew wider. Only no light penetrated this one so he couldn't really see what might be lurking about. The unicorn stopped and moved off the trail, hiding itself in the bushes, stamping about nervously. David looked around carefully, if the unicorn was nervous it meant something bad was here.

Peering through the underbrush David saw a large cave, the path led right in. He nervously walked in. Instantly three wolves came around behind him. David could tell that there were more, the rest were hiding in the shadows, not approaching him in the light because he could see them. He knelt at the end of the pool of light, right where it met the shadows and waited. David let his eyes adjust and saw a small pup, no doubt the youngest in the cave, its mother licking it as the pup whined and yelped. David looked around, besides the pup and its mother there were nine adult wolves and four other pups. David waited; slowly the mother rose and approached him, and sat a few feet in front of him. The pup ran around her and sat just in front of her on her front paws. Copying its mother. A large light grey wolf rose from its position lying in the back. It came up to David sniffed his hand when David held it out. The other adults slowly came forward to do the same, tails slowly began to wag, and David reached out and stroked the large grey. This was the pack leader and he wanted to be friendly to him. The pups ran forwards and jumped about their elders' feet, yipping at David.

For the first time David appreciated the lessons his father had given him. He felt an affinity with the wolves just as he had with the unicorn, but it was not as equals. In some ways he admired them but there was an overwhelming sense that they were looking to him to make the first move as troops waited for their commander to give an order. David finally stood and walked towards the back of the cave, four of the wolves followed, the leader, the pup he'd noticed, its mother and another, a small black wolf, well, as small as an adult wolf got. Certainly a bit bigger than any normal wolf.

David got up and made his way through the cave, following a trail of small red flags that glowed. He had to squeeze through small spaces and get across a river all the while the wolves followed him. But they stopped once they entered the chamber that the river ran through, and they refused to go farther. David glanced at the river, it was about twenty feet wide, and the water looked black, obscuring the bottom so that David had no idea how deep it was. He found a long pole, ten feet long, and leaning out over the river, dipped it in. The whole thing went under.

David jerked back as he felt the pole shake and jump in his grip, as if something had grabbed it. He tossed in a leaf that was swept away in seconds. The current on the surface was about ten-mph, to fast for him to swim, and probably faster deeper down. David looked up and down the river, edging back nervously. Some creature in there had ripped off the bottom foot of his pole. No bang from an underwater rock left tooth marks and could have splintered the wood like that.

"What do I do? What's in there?" He asked the wolves, kneeling beside them. The black wolf lay down and dragged itself along the floor on its belly. Then it stood and came back. David thought hard, what animal dragged itself with its front paws? He looked hard at the track in the mud the wolf had made. Then it hit him, a snake; a large water snake could make a track like that. The wolf had been imitating a water snake as best it knew how. He examined the pole and found that near the bite mark the wood looked like it had been sprinkled with acid, it was greenish and flimsy, pitted in places.

David's mind jumped at the thought of a snake that contained a poison, which could damage wood, his stomach churned with fear and cold dread. He thanked the wolves, and they turned back the way they had come. The pup stopped to lick his hand before following its mother. Leaving David to deal with this dilemma on his own.

Finally David stood and examined the surrounding area. Dulcea would not have given him an impossible task, just a difficult one. The water was deep and fast flowing so he could not make progress through it. And vaulting over to the far side was not an answer since the snake seemed to have an appetite for anything that moved beneath the surface. He looked at the maze itself. If he followed the bank far enough he would find the edge of the maze, but that would take time. Then he looked up and realised that the bushes that had made up the walls of the maze still existed above him. There the branches intertwined to create a canopy, but would not hold his weight if he tried to use it to cross. The branches did give him an idea though. He could tie them together to form a bridge, using an axe crafted from a stone he found near the water.

With part of the obstacle conquered he made his way across the tree, the axe grasped firmly in his hand. He stopped halfway across when he noticed a movement just beneath the surface. He braced himself as the snake emerged from the water, his axe already swinging towards the creature's head. Then as the head was sliced off he started to run again, not looking back until he was clear of the obstacle.

Thirty minutes, one wooden sword fight with a faceless figure and an archery contest with the same figure, a walk across a bridge made with one rope for his feet and one for each hand, a climb down a tree, for the cliff face was made of smooth ice and parachute drop off another cliff to land in a field, and David finally saw the end of the test. The red flags abruptly ended not too far ahead. Then a misted figure appeared ten feet ahead and solidified into one of creatures David had seen during his time as Mondo's captive. David reacted without thinking, confident that he could triumph after all he had been through. He summoned all his inner strength and forced it into a single punch. It was not until the figure collapsed that he realised he had not used his fist, only his mind.

David glanced around; a red line ran cross the ground, he'd emerged at a right angle to where he'd started, along the edge of the maze. He turned and looked at the maze, realising that it was not just a hedgerow, as he had first believed. The walls had been made from different materials, even stone. He ran towards the line and the maze vanished behind him while he waited for Aisha.

* * *

The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound of the surrounding area was silenced the moment she entered the maze. She tried jumping up to look over the tops of the hedges, but when she did so they simply grew taller and beyond her reach.

After about fifty yards, she reached a fork. "Here goes," Aisha said, and she took the left one.

Aisha sped up. Her chosen path seemed completely deserted. She turned right, and hurried on until she reached a sword in a stone. She reached out and pulled it from the rock before moving on. She kept looking behind her. The old feeling that she was being watched was upon her. The maze was growing darker with every passing minute as the sky overhead deepened to navy. She reached a second fork.

"Let's see," she whispered to herself. She pulled a coin from her pocket and then flipped it. The coin landed heads up meaning that she had to take the left path since somehow she knew the center was to the Northwest. She took the left fork but intended to go right again as soon as possible.

The path ahead was empty too, and when Aisha reached a right turn and took it, she again found her way unblocked. Aisha didn't know why, but the lack of obstacles was unnerving her. Surely she should have met something by now? It felt as though the maze were luring her into a false sense of security. Then she heard movement right behind her. She turned but there was nothing there, a thick hedge had grown in her path, blocking her retreat. She shook his head and dived out of sight, along another path.

She hurried off again. Then, as she turned a corner, she saw ... a figure gliding toward her. Twelve feet tall, its face hidden by its hood, its rotting, scabbed hands outstretched, it advanced, sensing its way blindly toward her. Aisha could hear its rattling breath; she felt clammy coldness stealing over her, but knew what she had to do...

She couldn't run so instead she turned to fight, holding her sword at the ready. The creature was making her feel depressed as it moved closer, but she was too stubborn and summoned the happiest thought she could. The sword glowed as she advanced towards the creature, her happiness unbearable for a dark creature.

There was a loud crack, and the figure exploded in a wisp of smoke. Aisha wished the happy feeling could have stayed, she could have used the confidence...but she moved on, quickly and quietly as possible, listening hard, her sword ready to strike.

Left ... right... left again . . . Twice she found herself facing dead ends. She somehow knew that she was going too far east. She turned back, took a right turn, and saw an odd golden mist floating ahead of her.

Aisha approached it cautiously, pointing the sword at it. This looked like some kind of enchantment. She wondered whether it was dangerous. What would happen if she walked through the mist? Was it worth chancing it, or should she double back?

There was silence. She stared all around her. She took a deep breath and ran through the enchanted mist.

The world turned upside down. Aisha was hanging from the ground, with her hair on end. It felt as though her feet were glued to the grass, which had now become the ceiling. Below her the dark, star-spangled heavens stretched endlessly. ~When did it become night? How long have I been here?~ She felt as though if she tried to move one of her feet, she would fall away from the earth completely.

~Think,~ she told herself, as all the blood rushed to her head, ~think. . .~ But not one of the skills she had practised had been designed to combat a sudden reversal of ground and sky. Did she dare move her foot? She could hear the blood pounding in her ears. She had two choices - try and move, or stay, and get rescued and disqualified from the task.

She shut her eyes, so she wouldn't be able to see the view of endless space below her, and pulled her right foot as hard as she could away from the grassy ceiling. Immediately, the world righted itself. Aisha fell forward onto her knees onto the wonderfully solid ground. She felt temporarily limp with shock. She took a deep, steadying breath, then got up again and hurried forward, looking back over her shoulder as she ran away from the golden mist, which twinkled innocently at her in the moonlight.

She paused at a junction of two paths and looked around for some sign of the finish . . The end was somewhere close by, and then she would find her powers and become a Ranger once more. Then she would help the others ensure that Minion paid for his crimes.

She met nothing for ten minutes, but kept running into dead ends. Twice she took the same wrong turning. Finally, she found a new route and started to jog along it, the moonlight waving, making her shadow flicker and distort on the hedge walls. Then she rounded another corner and found herself facing another beast. It was enormous. Ten feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick armour glinted in the light from Aisha's sword, which she pointed at it.

"Yah!"

The blade hit the beast's armour and rebounded; Aisha ducked just in time, but could smell burning hair; the acidic blade had singed the top of her head. The beast issued a blast of fire from its end and flew forward toward her.

Aisha yelled. The sword hit the beast's armour again and ricocheted off; Aisha staggered back a few paces and fell over.

She tried again. The creature was inches from her when it froze - she had managed to strike it on its fleshy, shell-less underside. Panting, Aisha pushed herself away from it and ran, hard, in the opposite direction - the damage was not permanent and it would take too long to kill it. She expected it to would be regaining the use of its legs at any moment.

She took a left path and hit a dead end, a right, and hit another; forcing herself to stop, heart hammering, she concentrated on the center again, picturing it in her mind's eye, backtracked, and chose a path that would take her Northwest.

She had been hurrying along the new path for a few minutes, when she heard something in the path running parallel to her own that made her stop dead. She waited and then moved on, continuing to use her mind to pinpoint the center, making sure she was moving in the right direction. It was just a matter of time now. Her desire to reach the end was now burning stronger than ever, but she could hardly believe what she'd had to face to get this far. Aisha sped up. Every so often she hit more dead ends, but the increasing darkness made her feel sure she was getting near the heart of the maze. Then, as she strode down a long, straight path, she saw movement once again, and the moonlight hit an extraordinary creature.

It was a sphinx. It had the body of an overlarge lion: great clawed paws and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Its head, however, was that of a woman. She turned her long, almond-shaped eyes upon Aisha as she approached. She raised her sword, hesitating. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voice.

"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me."

"So ... so will you move, please?" said Aisha, knowing what the answer was going to be.

"No," she said, continuing to pace. "Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess - I let you pass. Answer wrongly - I attack. Remain silent - I will let you walk away from me unscathed."

Aisha's stomach slipped several notches. It was Billy who was good at this sort of thing, not her. She weighed her chances. If the riddle was too hard, she could keep silent, get away from the sphinx unharmed, and try and find an alternative route to the center.

"Okay," she said. "Can I hear the riddle?"

The sphinx sat upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recited:

"In my life I bring light and warmth;

yet in death I take both.

What am I?"

"A star," said Aisha, pacing up and down.

The sphinx smiled broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved aside for her to pass.

"Thanks!" said Aisha, and, amazed at her own brilliance, she dashed forward.

She had to be close now, she had to be. ... Her mind was telling her she was bang on course; as long as she didn't meet anything too horrible, she might have a chance. . . .

Aisha broke into a run. She had a choice of paths up ahead. "Where?" she whispered again, wondering why she couldn't see the end anymore. She dashed up the path to the left and saw light ahead.

At the end was a statue, gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of her.

She was shocked when it attacked her and dropped her sword. She blocked the many punches he threw at her, finally shifting her weight so that he flew passed. She turned and saw something immense over a hedge to his left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own; it was moving so fast her opponent couldn't move in time - "Look out!" Aisha bellowed. "On your left!"

Her attacker looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but in his haste, he tripped. Aisha saw his weapon fly out of his hand as a gigantic spider stepped into the path and began to bear down upon him. She was tempted to leave him to his fate, but somewhere deep inside she knew that was not the right thing to do.

"Hey!" she yelled; the sword hit the spider's gigantic, hairy black body, but for all the good it did, she might as well have thrown a stone at it; the spider jerked, scuttled around, and ran at Aisha instead.

She tried again and again, but it was no use - the spider was either so large, or so magical, that the weapons were doing no more than aggravating it. Aisha had one horrifying glimpse of eight shining black eyes and razor-sharp pincers before it was upon her.

She was lifted into the air in its front legs; struggling madly, she tried to kick it; his leg connected with the pincers and next moment she was in excruciating pain. She could hear her former attacker yelling something too and realised that he was egging the creature on. She regretted helping him, but knew in her heart she would do it again if needs be; she was not the sort of person to abandon someone to that fate. She raised her sword as the spider opened its pincers once more and sliced across its face.

It worked - the pain she caused made the spider drop her, but that meant that Aisha fell twelve feet onto her already injured leg, which crumpled beneath her. Without pausing to think, she aimed high at the spider's underbelly, as she had done with the beast, and threw her sword over arm. She had no doubt that her weapon would kill the beast, even if it left her defenceless. The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nearby hedge, and strewing the path with a tangle of hairy legs.

She waited for the attacker to return. She was too hurt to fight and had lost her only weapon. But no attack came since the spider had crushed her other attacker when it collapsed. He was alive but helpless. Soon both he and the spider vanished and revealed the finish.

She stood, just barely and staggered towards the statue. As she touched it her wounds were healed and she was dragged back to the start of the maze where David was waiting.

* * *

"What do we do now?" Aisha asked after they had both rested.

"How about leaving this place while you still can?" a voice asked.

They turned and David's mouth dropped at the sight of a bikini-clad female holding a long staff. She twirled the stick dangerously, her eyes never leaving the would-be Rangers.

"We're here on a quest," Aisha explained, unsure who they were talking to, but under the impression that this was a good planet.

"I do not care about your quests," the woman snapped, her accent faintly familiar. "Leave now before it is too late, this is your final warning."

"We're the Power Rangers, sort of," David tried.

The woman's response was to attack them, catching both teenagers off guard. Her foot landed in David's chest, knocking him to the ground while she fought Aisha. As such Aisha was forced on the defence against an aggressive opponent, who seemed intent upon hurting her. The woman's staff hooked the back of Aisha's knee and took her down to the ground. Aisha looked up to find the tip of the staff heading towards her throat.

David stayed down while Aisha kept their opponent busy, as he caught his breath he studied their fighting techniques and waited for the right time to attack again. When it appeared Aisha was in danger though he threw himself into action, grabbing the staff as he flipped over and attempted to wrestle it from her grasp. Aisha rolled aside as he kicked the center of the staff and broke it in half. But instead of dropping the weapons, she used both halves to batter the two Rangers.

"I'll distract her," David suggested.

Aisha nodded and started to circle around their opponent while David caused the distraction, in this case the distraction was getting beaten by a pair of sticks. When she was in position Aisha, jumped on the woman's back, locked her legs around the woman's knees and her arms around her chest. The woman tried to throw her, by Aisha's grip was firm. The distraction allowed David to lunge forward with a speed he had not shown before. He gripped both sticks and twisted, throwing their opponent to the ground.

They both hesitated, trying to reason with their attacker rather than continue fighting. Each time she attacked they tried to restrain her without causing injury. They sensed she was not evil and they had no intention of taking a life without good cause. She took advantage, disarming David and then knocking both Rangers to the ground. They moaned from the impact and tried to negotiate again.

"I have seen enough," the woman said. "You pass."

At once a sense of calm passed over the two Rangers as they were transported back to their starting point. The woman was transported with them and while they didn't know when her features changed, she now looked like the Dulcea they knew.

"Well-done Rangers," she said. "I believe you have earned the name."

David and Aisha nodded, but waited for their former attacker to finish.

"You have both shown the fighting skills and intellect needed to become a Ranger. Neither of you could best me, yet you did not yield, nor did you attempt to kill. You have both shown the characteristics needed to protect their planet and were you not Rangers, I would take you as my apprentices."

"So you're not a Grid Master then?" Aisha asked.

It had been confusing that while Dulcea mentioned the Power many times, she rarely related it to being a Ranger.

"I am a follower of the Power, the Master Warrior of Phaedos and protector of the Great Power," she answered. "By

the standards of today I would not be considered a Grid Master, but by those of

more enlightened times, yes I would have held the title of Morphin Master. I am more than qualified to train you to become Rangers. That is why you were not expected to win our battle. The test was only to see if you would surrender or attempt a killing blow. You showed great character and will make excellent Rangers."

* * *

Later that day Dulcea, David and Aisha gathered inside the ruins of the sacred grounds. Dulcea smiled as she regarded her young students. Both had come a long way in a short time and she knew the hardest part of their journey lay ahead of them in the future.

"You have both taken the tests required to decide your worthiness for the Ranger powers and you have both passed. As the Master Warrior, I grant you the powers of the White and Purple Rangers."

She turned to the fire and poured a bag of golden dust into the flames. In the heat David could see a golden ball form, surrounded by creatures resembling the Wing Raptor, Tiger and Falcon.

"David Trueheart, you have proven yourself as part of a team and as an individual. You have shown honour and determination, but have never taken a life where you could avoid it. You showed intelligence by figuring out your options before moving and then striking with a decisive blow. You have faced danger head on where many might have waited for assistance and shown the determination to overcome such obstacles. Finally you showed that you were willing to sacrifice yourself for your teammates, knowing that to do so would ensure a victory. The Winged Raptor, Tiger and Falcon will serve you well. Reach into the flames and seize your destiny."

David reached forward quickly; remembering what he had learnt and grabbed the ball. The fire did not burn or cause any inconvenience. As he pulled the ball out, he opened his palm and looked at the images engraved upon it. The Falcon, Tiger and Winged Raptor were pictured, along with the image of his face.

Next Dulcea turned her attention to Aisha. "Aisha Campbell, although you have not faced the same tests, the maze you braved was an equal challenge. You have shown yourself capable of logic and reasoning. In your tests you did not fear or question your instincts as they guided you to your destination. In the final combat you showed great determination and teamwork. In your time as a Ranger on Earth you have shown yourself to be a team player, capable of acting and thinking as necessary. I grant you the powers of the Purple Ranger."

Once again Dulcea poured the contents of a small bag into the fire. The flames licked around the dust, melting it into a new form. As the flames danced Aisha could see the Stegosaurus, Medusa and Chameleon.

"Reach forward and accept your destiny," Dulcea prompted.

Aisha reached into the flames and pulled out her ball. Opening her palm, she could make out the images of the Stegosaurus, Medusa and Chameleon, with her face on the reverse side.

"Now it is time to accept your powers and make the metamorphosis. It's Morphin Time!"

"White Ranger Power!" David called.

"Purple Ranger Power!" Aisha called.

Having never been a full Morphin Ranger, David was surprised by the flow of energy through his bodies. Aisha had experienced the rush before, but this felt stronger. Whether it was the time, she had spent without the Power that added the boost or whether it was because she was finally in her correct colour she would never know.

"It has been my honour to train you, Rangers," Dulcea continued, "but it is time to move to the next stage of your training. We will travel to Juruyella to reunite you with your friends. Then the eight of you will begin the last quest: for the Great Power."

Thanking Dulcea for her help the two newest Rangers join their teacher as they left Phaedos.

**End of Part **


	30. Close Encounters of the NEGAtive Kind

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Close Encounters of the NEGAtive Kind

Minion was feeling playful as he circled his opponent. He realised that the human despite wielding the powers of a Masked Rider was inexperienced and at the end of the day, only human. Unlike Dex, who was a skilled combatant regardless of whether he was wearing his armour or just dressed in his civilian clothing, Jesse was still learning and relied a great deal on his Combat Cycle. Currently he was without his motorcycle and slowed by the heavy brace he wore around his leg.

"No tricks, no super powers to save you, isn't this nice?" Minion asked, the Sword of Ragnarok poised in readiness to strike.

In the time following the disappearance of Jason and the other he had been attempting to wear the Gem Coin Rangers down, grinding them into the ground with his constant attacks. And while the Rangers were being distracted, his forces were securing other places of power around the globe. But now his plans for the Rangers had taken on a new sense of urgency as he had sensed a shift in the Morphin Grid. New Rangers had arisen somewhere with powers on a level he could not believe. In his heart, the twisted organ that shifted the black sludge that passed as blood through his veins, he knew that it had something to do with Jason and the others that had disappeared. His priorities had shifted from simply humiliating the Rangers to ensuring that when Jason and his friends returned, there would be nothing left for them to protect.

He lunged forward and smiled when Jesse sidestepped and rolled forward before trying to catch him with a backhand. The boy had spirit and refused to just accept death. Minion spun around and Jesse ducked, allowing the blade to move over his head. With a dismissive wave of his fingers he blasted the human across the length of their make shift arena. He almost laughed at the look of surprise on his opponent's face.

"I'm a villain, I cheat," he explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Now, transform so there can have a real battle."

Jesse's hands moved to his Ecto-Accelerator, triggering the release mechanism as he did so. "Ecto-phase, Activate!" The buckle flipped open, unleashing a thick tar like substance that swirled around him before coating his body in the resistant material. His armour was not as solid as Dex's because he lacked the Edenite's insect heritage. Instead he was dressed in a black rider's outfit with a dark visor that helped protect his face.

"Very good," Minion mocked, clapping as he walked around the helmeted warrior. "Now your opponent... WD-Unit 16."

The Viventallum-based robot took its place in the makeshift arena, waiting for instructions.

"Now for the added touches," Minion said. He lifted his arms and started chanting, creating a small breach in the barrier with the Dark Dimension as he summoned the memory of his champion.

"No," he heard the Masked Rider whisper as the Viventallum soldier was transformed. "We destroyed him."

"I brought him back," Minion answered. "Just to destroy you. You should feel honoured."

Before him stood a black machine with an orange pattern on its chest. It had a cone shaped head and a white cloak. Most importantly for Jesse, it carried a serrated disk the size of a motorcycle tyre that could slice through a target with ease.

"Cykill," Jesse breathed, remembering the problems the machine had caused him less than a year before. It had been Cykill that could claim responsibility for Jesse becoming a Masked Rider, as well as his damaged leg. He recalled how Dex had finally destroyed the evil chopper using Super Gold to shatter the protective plating.

"Win and live, fail and die," Minion told him.

Jesse moved cautiously, trying to hit and run. But Cykill was too fast for him and his blows proved more than the junior Masked Rider could manage.

"Rider Kick!"

Energy flowed through Jesse's leg, taking advantage of the extra bulk provided by his leg brace. He back flipped, catching the machine with his energised foot. Cykill's head was snapped back by the impact.

"Stealth mode!"

His armour shifted, phasing to fit in with the background as he tried to circle and attack his foe.

"Er where'd he go?" Cykill asked, confused.

"He used his stealth-mode you fool," Minion answered. "He's invisible!"

"Oh," Cykill said. A plume of noxious smoke filled the area and when he heard the Masked Rider cough, he threw the disk in the Rider's direction.

"Aargh!" Jesse cried, his stealth mode proving useless as blood poured from his severed arm.

"Cease!" Minion commanded, moving swiftly to stop the blood pouring from the Mask Rider's arm. He didn't want the youth to die just yet. "Your purpose here is over," he told Cykill. At once the WD-Unit resumed its original appearance and returned to its previous duties.

Jesse was going into shock, even with his powers he had not been able to handle Cykill and yet another part of his humanity had been taken. But he was alive and even in his dazed state he was recalling all the training that Dex had given him. He looked around even as his armour failed, searching for a way out in case the opportunity arose.

"Take him back to his cell," Minion said, dismissing the human as having no further value. Some of those he had collected had already been auctioned off to other factions, those who were looking for ways to take advantage of a situation. "Oh, and do something about his arm."

As he stared at the blood on the floor, he imagined that it belonged to Tommy and friends. But then reality asserted itself and he had to settle for the thought that soon he would have a chance to make that fantasy a fact. He looked at the Sword of Ragnarok, admiring the blood he had taken from the Rangers during their last confrontation. That along with Arcana's dying creations gave him a fresh idea to humiliate Tommy all the more.

"Maybe Arcana's plan can work, with a few adjustments."

* * *

Angel Grove

"Ah, you've come at last, Power Rangers," Minion observed. "And it only took half the street to draw you out."

When he had appeared, Minion had used a shockwave to lay waste to the street, which now resembled the aftermath of a gas explosion. The shop windows had been shattered, but the buildings were for the moment still standing. It was a token gesture on his part, but guaranteed to draw the Rangers out from wherever they were hiding.

"We're going to stop you Minion," Tommy warned.

"You and what army, Tommy?" the villain sneered. "Or did you mean the little friends who ran off with Ninjor? Oh yes, I know about them, they've done well to regain their powers." He smirked that he had surprised Tommy with that observation and his obvious dismissal. "By the time they return this little world and everybody on it will be gone," he promised. "Unless you stop me."

"Don't bet on it," Tanya warned. "We're the Power Rangers and you're going down."

"I never lose a bet," Minion told them.

That was the end of the conversation as he attacked with a ball of dark fire. Zeo Frog jumped, surprised at the sudden power in his lower legs that propelled him out of its path.

"Caught you napping Adam, not a good sign."

Then he was attacking again, his energy blasts striking every time as he somehow seemed to know where they were.

"Adam, fallback!" Zeo Falcon ordered, moving in to cover his friend's retreat. His sword was already swinging although it never landed. Minion blocked the blow and with a brutal kick, sent him crashing into the rest of his team.

"That worked real well," Zeo Bear grimaced, helping her leader to his feet.

"To think, I once considered you a threat," Minion growled as he regarded them. "You even managed to hurt me once. Speaking of which..." he paused, sidestepped left and swung his sword just above the ground. The Golden Wave that had been heading in his direction shot off into the air. "How is Trey?"

The Gold Ranger tumbled forward, rolling to regain control of his fall before springing back to his feet. Minion was waiting for him as he came back to the vertical, sword connecting with his armoured chest plate. Sparks flew as the Gold Ranger was thrown aside.

"So much for Earth's greatest defenders," Minion mocked. "Your days are over and like every other person on this planet, you will soon welcome death."

He changed his grip on his sword, never taking his eyes off the Rangers as he did so.

"One chance Rangers, surrender and I will make this quick."

In answer the four Gem Coin Rangers raised their swords and Gold Ranger readied his Golden Power Staff.

"Have it your way," the villain said as they charged forward.

Even as the Rangers were starting to move, he had fired off five balls of dark energy, knocking them in all directions.

"Pistols!" Zeo Falcon yelled. "Four point formation."

The Rangers fought bravely, but they were underpowered and Minion with his more brutal approach, seemed to have no problem throwing them aside. Zeo Bear managed to get close enough to use a piece of chain she had found as a weapon. The metal linked closed around his sword and with a short jerk she managed to disarm him as he cuffed her. The Sword of Ragnarok slid across the ground as he threw her into the wall of a building. As Adam had proven during a previous battle, their new powers were not as suited to physical impact and as a result, she stayed down.

"NO!" Zeo Frog cried, firing shot after shot at Minion's head. He was disappointed though as the villain held his palm up and shots were absorbed into his body. Before Adam could fire again, Minion unleashed the captured energy and sent him hurtling into another wall.

Dodging Zeo Crane's energy bolts; Minion picked the girl up and threw her into a lamppost. The impact snapped the metal as only Zeo Falcon and Gold Ranger remained.

"It's time for a Gold Rush!" Gold Ranger cried.

"Not this time," Minion said. Black tendrils shot from his fingers, grabbing the Ranger as he moved forward. As Minion closed his hands, Trey was thrown around before plunging into the asphalt. Laughing coldly, Minion turned towards the last Ranger.

Taking a deep breath, Zeo Falcon gripped both his own sword and the one he had picked up from where Tanya had dropped it and fought the growing sense of unease. Minion was playing with them, but it seemed likely that he had something else in mind besides taunting.

"It's over Tommy," Minion said. "Once I destroy you, this planet will be next on my list. By the time Jason leads his little friends back here, it'll all be over. Give it up now and maybe I'll make it quick."

"Not a chance, Minion. Rangers NEVER give up."

"If that's your choice," Minion conceded, "die with it."

Suddenly Minion was on the attack, producing a small dagger from somewhere that he tried to skewer through Zeo Falcon's chest. Panicked the Red Ranger used both his swords to block, leaving himself open as Minion unleashed a burst of dark lightning and knocked Zeo Falcon through the remains of the sidewalk.

"And now, the real fun begins," he said.

"Guys we have to keep trying," Tommy said. "If we fail, Minion will take over the planet. Are you with me?"

The others groaned in response. Adam and Tanya were barely coherent; Trey and Kat were not in much better shape and even Tommy had to admit that battling Minion in their condition would be suicide.

"As amusing as that would be, I have a better idea," Minion commented as he looked at the Rangers. He had thought that faced with their destruction they would just give up. He placed his palms together, fingers pointing toward the sky. When he pulled his hands apart, a black ball of energy appeared, splitting into six multicoloured crystals.

"I was going to save this for the next world I conquered," he admitted. "But we'll see how you like them. As you can see I've taken Arcana's little scheme one step further, combining it with the blood you have shed in our previous encounters and a spell I learnt from the Wizard of Deception - oh I see you remember him Tommy - to create my own little team of Rangers. You can thank Arcana's Billy-clone for his fine research while inside the Power Chamber. The uniform templates he stole from the computer have proven invaluable. But I assure you these Rangers are all mine."

Not quite true. He had thrown in the Wizard of Deception's spell to keep the Rangers off balance, but in truth these Rangers had not been created using that spell. They were not even Rangers, well not really. They were a gift from his master, the souls of the Rangers' counterparts in universes where they had succumbed to the darkness, harvested at the moment of death and transferred to Minion's possession. With the application of a little genetic engineering he had managed to provide new bodies for the twisted souls to possess. Even the clones that he had used to capture Billy, and the duplicates he had used to replace him, had been destroyed and replaced with his improved constructs.

"We need to morph," Tommy said. The others nodded their agreement, retreat was no an option. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

There was an unmistakable pause as Trey readied himself. "Gold Ranger Power!"

They moved to attack again, but stopped as the light from the crystals became blinding.

"Yes, it would be sad for this world not to have one last glimpse of its heroes before they die," Minion said as the light faded, revealing six very human shapes. "Now say hello to my little friends."

The light finally faded and the Rangers' jaws dropped. Before them stood what appeared to be five Zeo Rangers and the Gold Ranger. They were almost identical to the costumes the Rangers remembered except instead of gold, they had silver highlights.

"Enjoy Rangers," Minion called before vanishing. Neither side was certain whom he had been addressing.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" the Red impostor asked. Its voice sounded distorted, almost computerised.

"I can't believe it," Zeo Bear said before taking a step backwards.

"They look just like..." Zeo Frog started, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"But they can't be," Zeo Falcon said.

"Ah, but we are Rangers," Blue said.

"And we're here for one reason and one reason only," Yellow continued.

"To destroy you!" Gold said pointing to the Gem Coin Rangers.

"Attack!" Red commanded.

The fake Rangers charged the Gem Coin Rangers. Soon they were able to spread the Rangers out so they could not help each other. They stood face to face with their Ranger counterpart, except for Blue who stood next to Gold, head cocked thoughtfully as he sized up Trey.

As Pink traded blows with Zeo Crane; it was obvious that the imitation Rangers had the edge. She punched Zeo Crane in the chest several times, before following up with kicks to the lower abdomen and a punch to the face.

Zeo Crane fought back, aiming her pistol and firing. Pink laughed as she faded out of sight.

"Where'd she go?" Zeo Crane asked out loud.

"Here," Pink said appearing behind her opponent and unleashing an energy arrow. Zeo Crane was thrown to the ground as the arrow made contact.

Zeo Bear faced off against her opponent, each exchanging and blocking the other's blows. Although they were evenly matched in skill, the impostor had the advantage in terms of strength. Suddenly Yellow jumped onto Zeo Bear's shoulder, using it as a springboard to leap inside a warehouse and onto a pile of oil drums.

"Gem Coin Blaster," Zeo Bear called drawing the slightly heavier weapon.

She managed to squeeze off six shots before noticing they were having no effect. Her opponent responded by drawing her Zeo Pistol and firing. The shots struck the ground surrounding Zeo Bear throwing her to the floor.

Gold Ranger and his counterpart had already started using their weapons, Golden Power Staff against the massive golden hammer that his opposite number had summoned from somewhere. Gold ducked Trey's blow, back handing him with his hammer, allowing Blue to move in from behind. Gold Ranger rolled back to a distance where he could use his weapon effectively.

"Time for a Gold Rush!" he called.

Bursts of gold energy struck the impostors causing them to pull away slightly. Trey kept firing until he was sure nothing could have survived.

"Not bad Gold Ranger," Gold said from behind. He smashed his hammer into Trey's chest just as Blue unleashed a burst of energy. They paused, enjoying the sparks and then attacked again, Zeo Swords sparking on the Gold Ranger's back.

Zeo Frog found himself facing off against Green, both masters of their art. Zeo Frog ducked a kick and attempted a low leg sweep. The duplicate was taken off his feet, but managed to perform a move similar to break dancing to spin back to his feet again.

In the duplicate's hand a double-sided axe appeared. Zeo Frog drew his Gem Coin sword and the two enemies recommenced their battle. Zeo Frog found it increasingly difficult to counter his opponent's blows. The look-alike was able to use both blades on his axe effectively, drawing Zeo Frog's sword aside with one stroke and then slashing the open chest with the back swing.

The duplicate made a quick movement converting his axe to a version of the Cosmic Cannon and fired. Zeo Frog was thrown through the air to land in the warehouse next to the fallen Zeo Bear.

Of all the Rangers Zeo Falcon was the only one who was managing to hold his own. He had fought his duplicate using both unarmed combat techniques and his sword. Tommy realised that maybe the time he had had to fight against Sam had given him the experience to know how to exploit his opponent's weaknesses. Of course Zeo Falcon knew that would only last as long as the duplicate chose to fight fair. Red was fresh to the fight and seemed stronger. Tommy knew he would weaken before the duplicate, but that thought gave him all the more desire to beat his opponent quickly.

Red drew its version of the Zeo V Power Sword. The sword looked almost identical to how Zeo Falcon remembered it, except heavily armoured and black. The duplicate used the dark sword's to blast Zeo Falcon. While Zeo Falcon struggled to defend himself from one blast, the duplicate drew its Zeo Pistol and fired.

"Regroup," Zeo Falcon called as he moved away from the advancing duplicate.

The other Gem Coin Rangers joined him, each in various states of injury. Zeo Frog and Zeo Bear were struggling to stand and Zeo Crane was holding her arm, which had been injured by her duplicate.

"You were right before," Red said as his fellow duplicates joined him. "We're not Rangers."

"Then who are you?" Zeo Falcon demanded.

"Oh you'll find out soon enough," Red told him.

To emphasise the point the six impostors raised their hands to the sky. Blue lightning struck each duplicate transforming them into their true forms. The uniforms turned black and converted into alien-looking suits. Metal plating formed over the body in their Ranger colours. Each Ranger had white gloves and boots with black hands and feet. On their belts were golden N insignias. On the top of their helmets were black spaces each showing a different coloured crystal. Each helmet had flared sides giving them an almost demonic appearance. On their chests were golden coins.

"We're the Nega Rangers," Nega Red told them.

"We're faster than you," Nega Green said.

"Smarter than you..." Nega Blue said.

"Stronger than you..." Nega Yellow told them.

"But we're evil!" Nega Pink finished.

"Now we'll show you what a Nega Ranger can do!" Nega Gold called.

The Nega Rangers drew their weapons and attacked again. This time there was no messing about. The Nega Rangers brutalised the Gem Coin Rangers, knocking them about, trying to destroy them. Zeo Falcon picked himself up off the ground in time to be hit by yet another blow from Nega Red.

Once all the Gem Coin Rangers were grounded the Negas placed their hands on the Rangers' heads. Slowly at first but quickly speeding up they began to drain the Rangers' power.

"Now," Nega Red told the fallen Rangers as he raised his sword ready to impale Tommy, "we finish this."

* * *

Travis had not accompanied the Rangers despite being able to use Rocky's Gem Coin Transformer. Instead he had stayed in their Reefside fallback command post or Ranger Ops as Adam had dubbed it. He had witnessed the ease with which Minion had trashed the Rangers

Then he had lost sight of the others when Minion had teleported them. He had been confused when the image had cleared to reveal the Gem Coin Rangers fighting what appeared to be the Zeo Rangers. At that point he knew he had to do something because whoever these new Rangers were, they were about to destroy his friends.

Joining the battle as a Ranger was not an option. The Rangers were losing badly and by the time he arrived... there was no way that he could fight six of them even if he used Rocky's powers. So this was not a matter of joining his friends in combat, it was a retrieval mission.

"Pyramidas, online!"

* * *

The sword descended toward Tommy at the same time that the other Nega Rangers delivered what should have been the final blow to their intended targets. Gold lightning rained down on them before they could make contact, forcing the Nega Rangers to pull away from their targets. The Gem Coin Rangers barely had time to appreciate the reprieve before they were teleported away leaving six angry Nega Rangers in their place.

* * *

Prison Section, Minion's Island

Minion walked through the corridors gloating over his little trophy collection. The energy drain was complete; the residual magic in their bodies had been removed. The genetic neutralisers had suppressed any mutant abilities. They were as human as they were going to get. Now they were both his guests and more importantly, his playthings.

The first set of cells contained the young heroes known to the world as the Beetleborgs. They had been drained of their powers along with most of their life force; there was a good chance that even if they survived they would never be able to fight again, even the abilities that they showed in their civilian lives. Minion had been tempted to let the machine finish them. The idea of seeing every cell in their bodies drained of life until their frail human bodies were reduced to piles of dust was almost too good to resist, but not quite.

Minion had left them alone as they were drained, choosing to pick on his other guests instead. They were currently held in a cell, their hands and ankles bound and their armoured suits were held in safekeeping. The cold stone floor was far from comfortable, but compared to what some of his prisoners were going through, they were lucky.

Moving on to the next part of the cells, Minion smiled. This cell contained the VR Troopers and the first generation Metal Hero Servo, from whom their powers were derived. Each Trooper had been drugged and when they awoke, Minion planned to try out some modifications on their Virtualisers. Several relays in Servo's energy circuits had been removed preventing him from breaking free.

Ryan Steele awoke to find himself in chains. Barely able to stay awake he mentally ran through a check of his body. All his limbs were present and accounted for and he had only slight trouble breathing. Trying to stand Ryan winced as his ribs twinged with pain. In his mind he recalled the powerful mutant that had defeated them and the sting as the monster's tail had struck him.

Ryan spent a few minutes resting while he tried to assess his situation. He was chained and somehow his Trooper armour had been deactivated. A crystal had also been positioned near to his chest and was starting to glow a dull blue. .

To his left lay Kaitlyn and JB, both unconscious and neither showing signs of coming around soon. In front of him was their captor, dressed in black with glowing red eyes.

"Well well," the black masked being said. "We have a live one. I'll be back later to play."

Minion continued on his way, leaving Ryan to wonder what was going on. The next set of cells contained heroes his forces had taken from around the world. Iron Man and his Avenger allies, Spider-Man cocooned in his own webbing, a group of leather clad school females and several others he wouldn't bother to identify. He smirked when he passed the cells containing the remnants of the JLA and the Teen Titans, they had never really been a threat to him. Of course in all cases he ensured his prisoners were secured in such a way that they could not break free. Ensnaring Wonder Woman with her own lasso had been a nice touch in his opinion and far more merciful that what his servants had done to the rest of her people.

He punched in a code and opened the cells on the far side of the room. Inside were his favourite trophies, the former Zeo Rangers. This was Minion's favourite part of the Prison.

"Minion?"

He turned to see the Nega Rangers, his creations. Looking at them up close he was pleased with his creativity. Their twisted appearance would only help to instil fear in any who faced them.

"So you succeeded," he said after he was finished studying them. "Did they scream?"

"They escaped," Nega Gold admitted.

"Fools!" Minion snapped, his enjoyment forgotten at the thought of the Rangers surviving.

"They ran like cowards," Nega Blue told him. "Rocky didn't even show up."

A volley of dark lightning dealt with the outspoken Ranger. "Idiot, Rocky has already been dealt with, I only asked you to destroy five Rangers and you had superior numbers. How dare you fail me?"

He watched for a while as they suffered before ending the punishment. Seeing his own creations suffer was not as fun as torturing his prisoners.

"Enough. Seek out the Rangers and this time... finish them. Now go, find them."

He almost laughed as they blurred away. It was good to see that despite their outward appearance, they feared him.

"Perhaps a little more power will make up for your lack of intellect."

The Nega Rangers glowed as Minion poured his energy into them, changing them and extending their awareness of the world around them. Right now they were simply extensions of his magic, created from a a sample of his unusual genetic material, reshaped to mimic that of the humans they were modelled upon. For his protection he had bound their existence to his own. They would not be able to destroy him, but if they performed the tasks he had given them, they would be allowed to steal what they needed from their defeated foes. As an added bonus he had calculated that they only needed to feed on the residual energy of one Ranger each. Maybe it was time he told them that and gave them something to aim for.

"I release you," he said. The effect was immediate as the energy flow behind him and the Nega Rangers ceased. At the same time they dropped to their knees as their bodies were ravaged by an energy backlash. "Do you feel that Nega Rangers, the sudden pain? You are dying, very very slowly. The pain you feel is an echo of the stress that you are placing on the Morphin Grid, the only reason you have not been destroyed is because you are protected by the Earth's magic."

"What would you have us do master?" Nega Gold asked. There had to be a way to survive.

"Nega Gold or Gold Ranger... to the Morphin Grid you are one and the same, but the Grid can only sustain one. Gold Ranger has the stronger bond, so if left to fate, you will be the one to fade away. Same goes for the rest of you: vanquish the Rangers or be destroyed."

Minion looked down at his creation. Like all the Nega Rangers, Nega Gold did not have a gender and could appear as either male or female. At the moment Minion could detect an air of masculinity about the Nega Ranger, probably due to its link to Trey. If and when it destroyed the Lord of Triforia it would be able to choose. There were other Nega Rangers that had yet to define their identity. When the time came they would make a fine army.

"Already you know that you can drain the Rangers' energy," Minion continued. "When you destroy your chosen Ranger their power will be yours and your pain will end."

~And so will mine,~ he thought, remembering that so long as the Rangers survived he would be forced to endure untold torment.

"Go and draw out the Rangers. Attack their homes if you have to," Minion replied. The Negas knew who the Rangers were and Minion decided he would take advantage of the situation.

Minion waited for the Nega to disappear before turning his attention to more important tasks. He had allowed himself to be distracted by the Nega Rangers and needed to turn his attention to more important matters. He looked at the sword in his hand and resolved to do some research. If his prediction was correct, then the Power Rangers would be returning to a ball of ash.

* * *

Mindless carnage. It was something the Nega Rangers were starting to enjoy. Having decided that threatening innocent humans, would encourage the Rangers to make an appearance they had raided Angel Grove High School, taking the few students who had not been kept home, hostage.

"Rangers!" Nega Pink called, holding a young girl in front of her. "Either you show up by the count of ten or we start killing one of these pathetic humans every ten seconds."

Nothing happened and for a moment he thought maybe the Rangers had seen sense and realised just how futile fighting the Nega Rangers would be.

"One!" .

Nega Red finished his rounds of the school ensuring every human was accounted for. He stepped into the classroom where Miss Appleby used to teach the Rangers English. He could sense the laughter from some of the lessons over the years. He could feel the good in the room from a teacher whose love was teaching and her students.

Growling angrily Nega Red summoned his Nega Sword and began to trash the room. He did not stop until the room was levelled. "Now that's a classroom," he said looking at the scorched hole he had made in the blackboard with his sword.

"Two!"

Nega Yellow found her way into the Principal's office. She summoned her Nega Daggers and began redecorating the room. The five knifelike blades slashed into the walls and furniture as she took out her aggression on the office.

"Three!"

* * *

"It's done," Adam said, not sounding at all confident.

Reconfiguring their powers was a job that needed Billy or preferably Zordon and Alpha to work. The Gem Coin Rangers had had to make do and even now he couldn't guarantee that the changes would work. Still as he pressed the button and activated the new weapons' program they heard an affirmative beep from the computer, telling them that the process was a success.

The Rangers exchanged looks and teleported into battle.

* * *

At that moment, Wally West, the super hero known as the Flash, was in trouble. It had been a seemingly simple challenge, or so Wally had believed. A chance for freedom had been offered and he was willing to take the opportunity, secretly planning to somehow free his companions and then make Minion pay for all that he had done. Exactly why the villain had turned from manic rage to playful captor was unclear, although the Teen Titan, Raven, had suggested it had something to do with his desire to humiliate Earth's heroes; apparently Raven had taken to reading more and more books about the human psyche in the hopes of controlling her emotional problems.

So he had agreed to the speed test as Minion had called it, despite warnings from the Martian Manhunter. But then Wally had never been the most cautious of men. The test was relatively straightforward: all he had to do was avoid the laser beams for half an hour and then he would be allowed to walk away.

"Begin," Minion had said as Wally had rashly accepted the challenge.

And only then as the arena had appeared around him had he realised that Minion had not revealed all of the challenge. For one thing the lasers were mounted to the arms of WD Unit as well as the walls and ceiling. Secondly, they did not all fire one at a time and there was a randomness to their pattern that made it difficult to evade all the shots.

He had started out well, using his speed to create a whirlwind of force that sucked the WD-Units together and then threw them out again. Even when the machines reformed, they were no longer armed; the lasers were more vulnerable to heat, and were lost as the molten metal knitted itself back together.

He continued to move, avoiding the laser blasts while leading the robots into danger. It seemed no matter how badly they were damaged the machines were capable of repairing themselves. At least that was the impression he got until one of them was cleaved completely in half. At that point both halves remained inert.

Outside the arena, Minion adjusted the controls. He wanted to break his prisoners, to let them see the fate he had planned for them. At his command the WD Units returned to a state of inactivity as he focussed on the room's mounted lasers. To begin with he used multiple shots to direct the hero to where he wanted him and then over a few minutes, reduced the arena to the size of a long tunnel and positioned all the lasers at one end.

"I could be ruthless about this," Minion said, making a show of powering all the weapons at the same time. "But I won't do that." At the press of a button the emitters shifted to so they ran up the left-hand wall and along the ceiling.

Wally knew what was coming when the first emitter was activated, producing a solid beam of energy from floor to ceiling that would chop anything in its path in two. Then the beam started moving toward him and Wally had to squeeze to the left in order to avoid it. A second beam, this time stretching left to right followed and soon the other emitters followed, alternating between one orientation and the other. When they had all passed him, they returned from the other end, Minion having shortened the beam and sent two emitters at the same time.

This continued for ten minutes until Minion grew tired of playing. The Flash was good, but had not escaped unharmed. He was covered with small cuts where speed had not been enough to avoid the cutting beams. He looked at the clock and saw that half an hour had elapsed.

"Time's up," Flash noted. "You promised I could walk away."

"Actually," Minion replied, adjusting the controls so all the emitters were activated, creating a grid of obliterating energy. "I said you would be set free. Alas, in either case I lied. You will not walk away and freedom is not even a remote possibility."

He pushed the button, sending the grid speeding along the corridor. Flash turned and started to run in the opposite direction, not that he had far to go before he collided with the wall. He turned, hoping to find a way out of his predicament. But as he soon discovered, there was no way out.

"Stop this," Captain America cried as he saw the beams get nearer and nearer their target.

"But of course," Minion said, stopping the movement and then cutting all but one of the beams. The amassed heroes looked on in confusion until that beam finished slicing through Wally's legs. "No Wally West, you will not run away. In fact, you'll never walk under your own power again."

"Don't worry about him too much," Minion warned. "He will soon be out of his misery and you will join him."

* * *

"Fou.."

Nega Red's count was interrupted when he found himself on the receiving end of the Gem Coin Cannon's blast from behind. A microsecond after he sensed the blast his hostage was teleported to safety.

"So, you came," Nega Pink said turning towards his attackers. "Now the fun begins."

"Not today," Zeo Falcon replied.

Six Gem Coin Rangers stood ready for action. Six? Nega Red counted again wondering where Zeo Ape had come from. So far as he knew Rocky was still in hospital under the watchful eye of Lita Kino, the Rangers' Psychologist. He shrugged when he realised it was Travis using Rocky's powers; it didn't matter. Now it was time for a rematch.

"Get them!" Nega Red called.

What followed was almost a repeat performance of the last encounter between the Gem Coin Rangers and the Nega Rangers. The two sides fought back and forth, through the classroom and into the open air. All the time the Ranger kept careful watch of where their opponents were in relation to each other.

"Now!" Zeo Falcon called. "Plan A."

* * *

Minion watched the events taking place and was quickly able to see what the Rangers had in mind. They had worked to separate the Nega Rangers then teleported to a place where they could use teamwork to take out one opponent at a time.

~Not very sporting,~ Minion mused. ~Still it is within the rules and does make a sound strategy.~ "Nega Rangers, play along with the Rangers' plans."

* * *

The Rangers' strategy seemed to be working. Already they had separated and apparently destroyed the Pink and Green Nega Rangers. Pink had put up a good fight, managing to keep all the Rangers at bay until Zeo Frog managed a lucky shot with his hand-held cannon. She had screamed loudly and dissolved into a puff of smoke.

Nega Green put up an even better defence, managing to injure Zeo Ape in the fight. An arrow from Zeo Crane's bow caught him in the neck, apparently damaging his breathing to the point where he destroyed himself.

"Oh Rangers," Minion called as his image appeared in the sky. He had decided that this game had gone on long enough. "My Rangers have a big surprise for you." His head turned as the ground shook.

The Rangers stumbled as a new Zord made from Viventallum stomped across the city.

"Cyclopsis," Zeo Falcon breathed.

"Do you know what that thing is?" Kat asked.

Tommy considered his answer for a moment before nodding. "Not as well as Jason might. Cyclopsis was Goldar's War Zord. Rita resurrected shortly after I lost my powers the first time. Rita sent the population of Angel Grove into another. Cyclopsis came close to beating the others that day. If Alpha had not discovered the Zord's weakness, the Rangers may have been lost."

"I have heard of Cyclopsis," Trey said. "If Minion has truly resurrected him, we may have a problem."

"Enough discussion." Minion's face appeared on the Viewing Screen. "You have five minutes to defeat Cyclopsis, or I will instruct the Nega Rangers to level Angel Grove building by building."

"Can you remember how to defeat Cyclopsis?" Tanya asked.

"They just switched modes until the computer locked up. Then they called in the Ultrazord."

"We don't have multiple modes," Zeo Bear pointed out.

"We don't have an Ultrazord either," Tommy replied, "We'll have to improvise. Attack Bikes, Power Up!"

As the bikes skidded to a halt the five Rangers climbed on. Zeo Ape climbed into the sidecar of Zeo Crane's bike and prepared himself for whatever Zeo Falcon was planning.

"Switch to Sentinel Mode!" Zeo Falcon instructed.

Using the multiple weapons that Zordon had stored in a secret vault Alpha had managed to design some humanoid shaped robots using the weapons and attack bikes. Weapons and bikes combined to form a single giant robot, slightly smaller than a Megazord. With Zeo Falcon in the center each Ranger felt a strange connection to the machine.

"The autopilot should keep Cyclopsis busy for a while," Zeo Falcon said. "Let's get the Ninja activated."

"We need the Ninja, now!" .

"Stick to single attacks," Gold advised.

The remote Wolf Zord moved so fast that Cyclopsis didn't see it coming until it was too late. The powerful hind legs drove the Zord into the air where it made contact with Cyclopsis arm. The Zord's jaws clamped shut around Cyclopsis.

Zeo Frog guided his Zord forward and directed it to open its mouth. The Frog's tongue wrapped around Cyclopsis allowing Zeo Frog to direct a burst of electrical energy into the War Zord's body. Starting the recall system, he used the tongue to pull Cyclopsis towards the Zord. .

The combined assault allowed Zeo Ape a chance to get close. The mighty machine leapt onto the War Zord's back, wrapping its arms around the neck. The machine summoned both of its swords and stabbed them into the back of the War Zord's neck.

"Hold him steady," Zeo Crane called.

Bolts of pink energy struck the War Zord in the chest causing it to fall over. The Crane flew around to move in for a second assault. Once again Zeo Crane armed her lasers and prepared to fire.

Zeo Bear had moved her machine behind Cyclopsis's body. As the Crane fired again it knocked the War Zord over the Bear and onto its back.

The Falcon Zord dived; its talons extended outwards. Mini missiles fired from the wings, striking the War Zord in the chest and shoulders. While the missiles did no real damage, they distracted Cyclopsis long enough for the Falcon to sink its talons into the metal warrior and lift it into the air. .

"Fire!" Zeo Falcon ordered pressing the button on his control stick.

It took Zeo Falcon a moment too long to realise something was wrong. Cyclopsis had used its telekinetic powers to trigger the torpedoes inside the Zord. As they exploded, the Falcon dropped the War Zord to the ground as Zeo Falcon attempted to regain control.

"I'm down," Zeo Falcon reported, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs.

"You can join us later," Zeo Crane told him over the communicator.

"Ninja mode!" the Rangers called.

The arms and legs of the Ape detached from the body, the legs of the Bear split away from the body and legs and head of the Wolf retracted into the body. The bodies of the Ape, Bear and Wolf joined together to form the upper torso and arms of the Ninja. The legs of the Ape joined and connected to the base of the upper torso to complete the main body.

Meanwhile the Frog had transformed into a pair of legs, joining with the Bear's legs, which had transformed to make two feet, to form the lower body. The arms of the Ape had converted into fists, which connected to the arms. .

Finally the body and arms merged with the legs, allowing the Crane to slide into place as the head. The fully charged Power Sword appeared in the Megazord's hand. In a single movement the Power Sword moved across Cyclopsis's body carving a diagonal slash in its body.

While the Ninja was forming, the remote Sentinel was using every weapon at its disposal to keep Cyclopsis off balance, a strategy that seemed to be working. As long as the War Zord was trying to stay upright, it could not fight back. Then the operator gained control slamming the Sentinel to the ground and crushing it underfoot. The Ninja arrived in time to prevent too much damage being done.

Cyclopsis responded by extending a blade from each arm and attacking the Megazord. Combining the energy weapons with his blade Cyclopsis parried the machines' attacks. With a quick movement it disarmed the Ninja and moved to make a killing blow.

With a loud screech the Falcon descended on Cyclopsis, its weapons firing to push it away from the Ninja. Cyclopsis rolled away to allow the Megazord to stand up again.

"Docking now," Zeo Falcon said, activating his Gem Coin.

"Ninja full power!" the Rangers called as Zeo Falcon appeared in the control room and took his position.

Thrusters fired on the back of the Megazord's back, flying into the air, Power Sword in hand. Cyclopsis responded by firing the cannons positioned beneath its breastplate. It then fired its wrists on the end of solid steel cables, which wrapped around the machine's body in a similar way to what the Frog had done earlier. High voltage electricity pulsed through the cables, into the hands and finally into the machine.

Turning to the right Cyclopsis released the Ninja at the peak of its spin, throwing the Ninja to the ground with a crash. Energy bolts shot from various points on Cyclopsis's body, causing further damage to the mechanoid.

"Pyramidas fire!" Gold Ranger called from inside his personal Zord.

The Ninja flew into the air and landed on the apex of the Pyramid where it could channel the large machine's energy. Already charging its power cells, Zeo Ape braced himself for the attack ahead.

* * *

"Make it look good," Minion told the three pilots of Cyclopsis just before the Rangers' machines fired.

The three pilots did not respond verbally, but nodded to show they understood. Cutting the shielding to minimum power, the pilots braced themselves to take the blast. As the blasts stuck the War Zord, its shielding collapsed, causing Cyclopsis to explode.

Watching from his island, Minion smiled behind his mask. He had seen the power behind the Rangers' last attack and suspected the blast drained Gem Coins of all but a small portion of their power. Now it was time to show the Rangers what happened to those who failed to anticipate Minion's moves.

"Cyclopsis, reactivate and finish those ridiculous Zords!"

Slowly the Viventallum drained away and reformed to become a more powerful version of Cyclopsis. Inside the cockpit the three operators reappeared, ready to finish the Rangers.

The two blades slid out from the arms ready to strike again. The chest panels slid down to reveal the rows of cannons and the hip compartments opened, ready to fire the enhanced missiles Minion had constructed. A ball of energy formed on its horns and was fired as a single sphere of fire.

With its first strike Cyclopsis destroyed the Ninja. Missiles and energy bolts ripped the machine to pieces. As Pyramidas hovered in place, a Viventallum blade chopped through the armour. The machine was slow to react having used all its power in the barrage. Piece by piece it was chipped away by the War Zord's blades. Trey at that point made the decision to dislodge his attacker and order Pyramidas to retreat. He teleported to join the other Rangers, who had ejected before the Ninja was destroyed.

* * *

"What happened?" Zeo Ape asked as the remains of the Ninja started to disappear.

"Automatic recall," Zeo Falcon explained. "It's to stop the Zords destruction from shutting down the Morphin Grid. First time they used it was when Cyclopsis nearly destroyed the Dinozords."

"Shame you can't teleport away Tommy," Minion scoffed. "Now you're going have to meet the three pilots of Cyclopsis. I take it you remember Nega Green and Nega Pink."

The two supposedly deceased Nega Rangers stepped forward. Both were laughing as they imagined what they were going to do to the now Zord-less Rangers.

"And of course where would they be without the other Nega Rangers?" Minion asked.

The Rangers watched as Nega Red, Nega Yellow, Nega Gold and Nega Blue joined with their comrades. The Nega Rangers drew their weapons and prepared to finish their weakened opponents.

"The Zeo Crystal is gone, the Zords are gone, the friends who left on a quest for new powers are dead, you have no way to get back to Power Chamber and even if you could Zordon cannot help you." Minion seemed to grow more confident with every passing second. "I'll give you one chance to surrender before I order my servants to do it the hard way."

"We'll never surrender," Zeo Falcon replied angrily. "We'll either defeat you or die trying."

"You won't have to defeat me, Thomas," Minion replied. "This isn't a fight anymore, it's now a slaughter."

As he spoke, he pointed to a group of figures floating above the Rangers. They could not see their faces because of the bright light behind them.

"Now!" Minion ordered.

The figures dropped from the sky, one of them driving both feet into Zeo Crane's head. Another swung on one foot to catch Zeo Bear with a back kick and punch to the chin. The third ducked to avoid a kick from Zeo Ape before he swept the legs out from him and drove his elbow into the Ranger's face. After trading blows with Gold Ranger he delivered a kick to the Ranger's, winding him while the last one and concentrated on Zeo Falcon.

"Hello Tommy," the dark red uniformed warrior said. He wore the uniform that Jason had worn when he had first wielded the power of a Ranger.

"Do you like my newest creations, Tommy?" Minion asked. "Seven new evil Rangers to complete my Nega Rangers."

The two warriors started to fight, Tommy powered only by his reserve energy from the Morphin Grid and his opponent powered by the dark side of the Morphin Grid. Although not as skilled or powerful as the real Jason, Tommy's opponent used his anger to fuel his punches.

"You don't want to do this," Zeo Falcon said. "Don't let Minion use you."

"Minion is not using me," the other replied as he knocked the Gem Coin Ranger down again.

"You obviously weren't listening when we told you the first time," Nega Red said as he walked forward. The two evil Red Rangers joined hands, combining their powers. Tommy looked around to see that the Gem Coin Rangers were surrounded.

"We're faster than you," Nega Green said.

"Smarter than you..." Nega Gold said.

"Stronger than you..." Nega Yellow told them.

"But we're evil!" Nega Pink finished.

"Yeah?" Tommy asked preparing to make their task as difficult as possible.

"Yeah," Nega Red replied, imitating the voice.

The evil Rangers fired as the other Red Ranger that delivered the final word on the subject: "and we cheat."

"Stand down," Minion called as he arrived, stepping over the now demorphed Rangers. With a gesture he summoned their Gem Coin Transformers and crushed them. He summoned the Golden Power Staff, but being unable to use it, discarded it. He never noticed when it disappeared back into Trey's subspace pocket. "You have done well."

Raising his hand lines of energy flowed from the fallen Rangers into his creations, recharging their bodies.

"Silvo!" Minion boomed. "Take these fallen Rangers to the cells and make them comfortable."

Silvo appeared in a flash of silver, picked up the fallen Rangers and left.

* * *

Phaedos

Dulcea looked up from the fire as she sensed some sort of disaster on the planet Earth. Could it be that those left to protect the planet had fallen? She hoped not. Jason, David, Sam, Kimberly, Aisha, Trini, Zack and Billy were ready to seek the Great Power and would begin their trek to the monolith the next morning. She could only hope they reached it in time because if the sensations she was receiving were an indication, at this rate they were not going to have a world to return to.

She shivered as she thought about Minion. In many ways he reminded her of some of the villains that she had fought against before taking on the role of Master Warrior. He didn't really care about the conquest of worlds. He was an evil creature who would never find the satisfaction in conquest that he would gain by destroying planet after planet. Stopping him soon was the only way they could prevent countless deaths.

"Sleep well Rangers," she whispered as she stared across the flames at her sleeping charges. She hoped that with the Great Power on their side the Rangers would be able to undo all the harm Minion had caused. Somehow she doubted it because the only way to guarantee such a drastic reversal would be to destroy Minion completely. She knew in her heart that none of the Rangers she had met would be able to commit what amounted to ruthless murder. Yet if they didn't, she doubted the Earth would survive.

* * *

Torture Cell A, Minion's Island

Three days had passed and Minion decided it was time to see how his guests were coping. He ignored the VR Troopers and the Beetleborgs, the strange warrior known as Servo and a group of teenage hackers who had been dragged into things for some reason; the various super heroes that constituted what remained of the JLA, the Avengers and of course Spider-Man. He overlooked the injured Jesse, knowing that even if he could transform, the Masked Rider's powers had been damaged. Dex on the other hand would still provide some entertainment. First though he had his old adversaries, the Gem Coin Rangers, to pay his respects to.

This was Minion's favourite part of the Prison Dimension. He had altered the flow of time in the dimension so a few hours would seem like weeks to the Rangers trapped inside. All six of the Rangers he was holding in his prison were undergoing various forms of torture.

First off was Tanya. Minion had trapped her at the bottom of a long tube. Then he had sealed the sides, top and bottom of the tube so she only had a limited air supply. Then he had started to pump in a drop of water every thirty seconds. It was a slow torture. Tanya knew she could not escape and that eventually she would drown, but not before the dripping water drove her insane.

Next in line was Trey. Minion had decided to place the Lord of Triforia on a version of the rack and was gradually stretching the Gold Ranger until he was torn in half by the rack. Minion had but found the idea too unimaginative. Therefore, he had added his own subtle changes. .

The rack had been modified so Trey was now seated with his hands tied to a series of pulleys. His legs and ankles were strapped to a set of bicycle pedals. The idea was that a small motor operated ropes attached to his arms would tighten the ropes and stretch the Lord of Triforia unless he pedalled fast enough to counter the effect. Minion had made an additional change. The system was now racheted so that if Trey stopped pedalling, he would be stretched, but even if he then started to pedal as fast as he could the ropes would not loosen.

It was the ultimate no-win situation. Sooner or later the Triforian would tire and when he did he would be stretched.

Adam had been strapped into a chair. On his forehead a metal device had been fastened. As Minion pressed a button, the device sent a signal to the muscles in Adam's leg, causing it to twitch. The sensation was not painful, but after a few hours of constant twitching Adam would be driven insane. Minion had seen the evidence of what constant exposure to the device would accomplish. Even the most iron willed prisoner would crack under the strain.

The device had been created years ago for use by bounty hunters wishing to interrogate captives to find their prey. Minion had been lucky to find a working model in Zedd's castle. Obviously Zedd had had dealings with either the Varox or the Bounty Hunters' Guild. He was not sure which but knowing Zedd, he was willing to beat the Bounty Hunter had not been paid for his work, or lived to tell about it.

Minion had modified the next cell especially for Kat using the technology he had gained from elsewhere. The room was set to play out random dangers at random intervals, stimulating her pain receptors without the physical injury. Minion had no intention of damaging Kat's body. He wanted Kat to be his personal slave and if she survived, he would enjoy breaking her further.

Minion planned to leave her a few more hours and then offer her a chance to end her pain. He doubted she would take him up on the offer first try, but faced with a life of pain or a life as his slave he suspected she could be persuaded to choose the latter.

Tommy's torture was simple but effective. He had been tied with his hands above his head and had a WD-Unit punching him at regular intervals. Each blow cracked his ribs causing him to scream in agony. But Minion had programmed the machine to allow enough time between blows for the youth's healing to take effect. For the robot it meant a few seconds of action followed by long periods of waiting. For Tommy it meant constant and nearly unbearable pain.

Travis's torture was perhaps the cruellest. He had been secured so he had a view of all his friends being tortured. Minion had injected him with a drug to paralyse his body and bound his limbs just in case. Travis could see and hear everything, but could not move any part of his body to help or even turn away or shut his eyes. Tears ran down his face from having to watch his friends being tortured, knowing he was free to intervene but unable to help them. He continued to sob, broken at the sight of his friends suffering knowing he had failed them.

"What's the matter Travis, can't you stand to see your friends suffer?" Minion asked softly. "You know, you could save them. Just swear total and undying allegiance to the forces of darkness and I'll let them go."

"Go to hell!" Travis spat. Struggling to speak due to the effects of the drugs.

Minion did not reply. He simply turned and nodded to the WD-Unit in front of Tommy. The machine understood the unspoken command and punched Tommy in the face, cracking his skull.

"You had better not say things like that Travis," Minion hissed. "Or I'll instruct the WD-Unit to crush his skull. I'll leave you to consider our offer," Minion told the distraught Ranger. "See you soon."

Minion walked over to where Tommy was hanging. Using some of the many fighting techniques at his disposal, he kicked Zeo Falcon several times in the chest and stomach, smiling in satisfaction as he heard the Ranger's ribs crack. When he finished, he cut the bonds holding Tommy's arms, then continued to kick and punch the fallen Ranger. He lifted Tommy to his feet and delivered a sharp kick to the Ranger's neck.

"Wait six hours and then resume," he said to the WD Unit as he teleported away.

Six hours was nowhere near enough time for Tommy to heal, but that was the idea. Minion promised himself he would return to beat Tommy a bit more when the other boy was awoke.

* * *

Minion enjoyed having so many prisoners because it gave him the opportunity to try as many forms of torture as possible before they died. They were his playthings and when they ceased to amuse him, he would toss them aside and move on to the next victim. This time he had not been creative, just brutal in his plans. He had placed the surviving members of the JLA and the Teen Titans together in the arena, surrounded by WD Units. If they defeated their opponents, he would let them go. He had no intention of allowing them to win.

He had deliberately made the stadium larger this time and provided the heroes with some cover. He mentally ran through those present and was satisfied they would be lucky to survive let alone triumph. The Flash had already proven how far Minion was willing to go; the human Masked Rider had proven that he could be merciful. What he had done to the Martian Man Hunter had shown them his vicious side, while slicing off John Stewart's fingers had shown his intelligence.

So who was left? Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawk Girl of the JLA - for there was no way the Green Lantern could defend himself at that moment - and Robin, Starfire, Changling, Raven and Cyborg for the Teen Titans. Some of them he had allowed to remain conscious, others he had deliberately incapacitated to prevent them from using their powers. In the end he decided that Wonder Woman, Hawk Girl and Cyborg would suffice. If this worked well, he would be sure to try it again with the Avengers.

Wonder Woman looked on as the WD Units surrounded them. She already knew that they could not trust Minion to keep his word. If he wanted them dead, they would die, and if he chose to spare them it would only be exchanging death for more torment. And the villain had already taken so much.

Themyscira was gone, the civilised world of the Amazons lost forever all due to Minion's actions. She remembered how his robotic army had fought their way through the island's inhabitants. And now Diana, last surviving daughter of her race found herself pitted in one of the villain's twisted games. She promised herself that she would not be another victim of his evil; she would not go easily, and like Wally she vowed to fight him.

Hawk Girl was angry and more than a little confused. She had once believed that she had known what evil was, her people having abandoned a dark entity long ago. But it seemed that Minion had shown her a new kind of evil, the type that from Batman and Robin's reactions, was uncommon but not unheard of on Earth. She held her mace at the ready, vowing that the first machine to cross her path would be scrap metal. Next to her she sensed Cyborg tense. The battle was about to begin.

When the robots attacked, the three heroes went on the offensive. Hawk Girl's energised mace smashed into the chest panel of one WD Unit as Wonder Woman used her lasso to throw one of the WD Units into its neighbouring machines. Cyborg unleashed blast after blast from his sonic cannon, using his vice like grip to wrench arms from torsos.

Minion had to admit they were an impressive combination. Wonder Woman's strength combined with Hawk Girl's anger and Cyborg's strong will, which Minion had to admit was exceptional for him to have survived all the hardships he had endured, allowed them to take down a good portion of his forces before the overwhelming numbers started to catch up with them. He was amazed when he saw Cyborg rip the bladed weapon from one unit and use it to slice the head off another. He had been hoping that what he had done to the Flash would have weakened their resolve, but if anything they fought harder.

"Open fire!" he commanded.

Viventallum bullets sprayed from the units' hands, causing Hawk Girl to cease her current tactic of lifting opponents from the ground and dropping them from higher up, and duck for cover. Cyborg and Wonder Woman worked together, she deflecting the bullets with her bracelets while he returned fire. When a WD Unit went down, it stayed down; Minion wanted to see how close they would come to victory before springing his surprise.

* * *

Batman watched the battle from his cell. There was little in his utility belt that could help them although the first aid kit had allowed them to wrap the cauterised stubs that were John's arms. The Green Lantern was still in a bad state, Flash was comatose.

In the next cell Robin had given up trying to break free from the cell and had instead turned his attention to other opportunities to escape. Starfire was in a state of shock, whatever Minion had done to her when he had insisted on separating the aliens from the rest of the JLA and Teen Titans, she had been almost catatonic when she had returned. Exactly what they had done to the J'Onn was unclear, but while he was alive, he was definitely not conscious; Raven had not been seen since she had been taken.

"Look," Changling called, transforming back to his normal appearance for the first time since they had seen what had happened to the Flash. The brutality and callous nature of the attack had hit all of them, but Changling had lost somebody whom he viewed as a big brother.

"Look out, they're changing," Batman said as he watched the broken WD Units pool together into a new larger warrior.

"Oh no," Robin said, eyes widening as he saw the thin tubes appear from the Centaurian's body.

* * *

The WD Units fell back behind the larger robot and the three heroes were getting more and more nervous.

"Fire!" Minion ordered.

The many tubes unleashed a volley on miniature projectiles at its opponents, shredding anything in their path. Diana tried to block them but even her swift reactions could not avoid every projectile. As soon as the first bullet pierced her skin, the small point allowing it to easily break her skin, she started to slow. More projectiles were fired, most missing but some actually managed to strike their target. Eventually the blood loss was too much and she fell.

Cyborg had not been so lucky. His metallic parts were shredded by the tougher metal and it was only through chance that his human organs were not damaged. He continued to fire bravely, daring the machine to attack again and again.

Hawk Girl Had been hit, her wings damaged and her flight terminated. She had managed to land a single blow, which was more than her companions had accomplished. Still, like Wonder Woman and Cyborg she was beaten and as the massive metal fist made contact with her skull, it seemed the fight was no longer her problem.

"Cease!" Minion called. He didn't want the Centaurian to kill them, the pain didn't fade as much when he just killed them. He needed to break them first, all of them.

He walked into the arena area and made a point of examining the bodies. Hawk Girl would survive although like the Green Lantern and Masked Rider, recovery would prove difficult. Cyborg on the other hand would be lucky if he ever recovered from his injuries. Minion considered using Viventallum to repair the damage, knowing that in doing so he would have control over Cyborg. Oh the damage he could cause. Finally he came to Wonder Woman. The pile of bullets surrounding her spoke of how hard she had fought to survive. A quick scan of her aura revealed that she was alive. The pool of blood surrounding her raised questions about how long she would take to recover.

* * *

Later

Minion looked inside and was pleased with the results. Katherine, Trey and Tanya had been removed from their various tortures and strapped to tables. Minion wanted them to regain some strength before the torture resumed. Adam had been left attached to a machine referred to as the Twitcher.

Minion moved over and studied the boy's face. Adam's left leg had been twitching relentlessly due to the stimulation provided by the machine. The constant movement was causing continuous discomfort, preventing the former Ranger from concentrating on anything but the pain.

Next Minion moved on to where Tommy was still suspended and undergoing the continued care of a WD-Unit. Minion studied the boy's wounds and could tell the Ranger's healing was starting to fail.

"Is it painful Tommy?" Minion asked.

Taking his finger, he traced the still bloodied wound from where the robot had switched from fists to spiked blades. Soon if there was no let up Tommy would be crippled for the rest of his life. Minion nodded to the WD-Unit to intensify his assault. If Tommy survived another hour Minion decided, he would stop the torture. But, he doubted Tommy would live that long.

Finally Minion moved to where Travis was sitting, still drugged and unable to help his friends. Minion looked at the Triforian and could see he was broken. Tears streaked down his face caused by the hopelessness of his situation.

"Don't worry Travis," Minion told him. "Soon it will end, for all of you."

Turning around he left the cells and once again entered the arena, which had been set up to act as a training area, it still looked similar to the theatres used in Ancient Rome. Lined up in the center of the zone stood the Nega Rangers. Minion walked along the line of troops, carefully inspecting them to ensure they were ready for action. All the Nega Rangers had been training; ready for what Minion had promised would be their toughest test so far.

"Bring in the next one," Minion ordered.

Silvo appeared, dragging Dex, the veteran Masked Rider behind him. Dex was perhaps the most dangerous captive that Minion had taken; Masked Riders were troubleshooters, commandoes and trained to an exceptional level. As such Dex was dangerous before he used his powers and more so when he activated his armour. Since he had already taken steps to ensure Dex's fellow Rider had been sidelined, he decided on a similar fate for the Edenite. He injected the former Prince of Edenoi with a stimulant to revive him. Minion knew Dex would prove resistant to torture due to the make up of his powers and training. For that reason he had not bothered, deciding to simply drain his life force. Now though he had a different idea. Minion was going to use him to test his Nega Rangers.

For Dex it was an opportunity to escape. He didn't stand a chance in a fight against more than one Nega Ranger. Dex knew that and felt no shame in the fact. Being able to recognise and work with his limitations had allowed the Masked Rider to triumph in the past. He simply solved those things within his control and found alternatives to those he could not. Right now escape was a priority.

Once free he would summon help, but first he needed to get away from Minion.

"Now, transform into Masked Rider," Minion said.

Dex knew better than to help Minion with his plan, but he also knew that his powers would give him a better chance of escape. His assessment of the area was such that he was confident that he could escape. He refused to end up like Jesse at the hands of this madman. Thinking of the kid upset him, he could only hope he was still alive, somewhere.

"Ectophase Activate!"

Green energy sparked from Dex's belt buckle, focussing the power of the Morphin Grid through a crystal. Following a small prickling sensation, which reassured him that the process was working as it checked his blood to ensure he was the correct avatar, the buckle seemed to fly off. Even as the energies used Dex's insect-like heritage to charge forms from civilian to warrior, the buckle became his mask and joined with his flesh, forming the green armoured exoskeleton and the antenna-crested helmet of the Masked Rider.

"Nega Red, Nega Green, attack!"

Masked Rider knew he could not outmatch two of Minion's Nega Rangers. He had seen them in action and had a fair idea of what they could do. As he started to move around, he wondered if maybe he could outsmart them. Jumping, diving and turning to avoid each blow, Dex waited until Nega Red was open and Nega Green was in the wrong side to help.

"Rider Kick!" he called, focussing all his energy into a missile like drop kick. Normally he would aim for the head or chest. Knowing these areas would be protected, he decided to aim lower. His feet glowing red, the Masked Rider slammed into Nega Red's groin, hoping that Minion had thought to retain some semblance of human anatomy in his creations. He rolled to the side as Nega Green attempted to cleave him with his Nega Axe. With nothing to hit the weapon continued to head downwards until it connected with Nega Red.

"Electro Saber, activate!" Masked Rider called.

From the buckle-like box on his belt he drew the Electro Saber. The glowing blade seemed to hum as he made a downward arc through Nega Green's shoulder, causing him to scream as the blade tore through the top layer of his armour.

"Masked Rider Super Blue!"

His buckle started to glow as the Masked Rider costume turned blue, giving him the ability to turn to liquid at will. He knew Minion had predicted this action, but hoped he had overlooked the next possible action. Transforming to a liquid, he pretended to head towards Nega Red. At the last possible moment he veered off and directed himself toward Minion.

The irresistible force of Masked Rider Super Blue collided with the immovable object known as Minion and the immovable object won. Super Blue bounced away from his opponent, hoping that the attempt had convinced Minion of his intentions. It had worked; Minion thought Super Blue that was trying to destroy him and was unprepared when Super Blue headed into one of the air ducts and freedom.

"Unleash the hounds!" Minion shouted angrily as he watched Dex emerge on the island. There were no Rangers to help the Masked Rider this time. Minion was certain that Dex had just forfeited his life. He watched as three of the WD-Units took on canine forms and after howling, they ran off in pursuit of their master's foe.

Minion turned back to where Nega Red was helping Nega Green to stand, having knocked him away in anger. The symbol of the Vulture on his chest glowed red as his leg regenerated. The Toad on Nega Green's chest glowed as his shoulder was restored to normal.

* * *

Earth

It was time to end this game. The other Rangers would be returning soon and he wanted to be ready for them. That meant that first he needed to ensure the Gem Coin Rangers were truly broken. He walked past most of the prisoners. Their time would come later.

"Release them," Minion said, gesturing to the various devices the Rangers had been strapped to.

Bronzo did as he was told, throwing the Rangers to the ground at his master's feet. Minion waited for the Rangers to recover enough to hear his words.

"For the last few days I have tortured you all and enjoyed every moment of it. But now, I think to myself am I being fair? I've had many opportunities to kill you and I have not allowed any of you to take a single shot at me."

Reaching into subspace, he pulled out a collection of fully charged blasters. He threw them to the ground in front of the Rangers.

"For a count of six I will drop my defences and allow you to take as many shots at me as you wish. I should warn you one would be enough to kill me. Should you succeed you will be teleported back to Angel Grove and from there you can go wherever you wish."

He looked at the Rangers lying on the floor, each displaying various states of comprehension. Travis's face was a blank. The boy - for at that moment any man who had been forced to witness the acts committed against his friends would be reduced to a whimpering child - had withdrawn so far into himself Minion doubted anything would draw him out again. Tommy simply stared, his face filled with a mixture of fear and hatred.

"I can see you all need a little encouragement. Travis here will do. Here's the deal, when I reach six either you will have shot me or this poor Triforian."

"No," Tommy begged. "Don't do it."

"One..." Adam stared stupidly at the weapon in front of him.

"Two..." Trey reached out to the blaster. He wondered why everything was suddenly moving in slow motion.

"Three..." Kat's fingers touched his blaster and stayed there, unmoving. He wondered suddenly why he'd put them there.

"Four..." Tommy tried to reason things out. He had the blaster in his hand; all he had to do was shoot. So why couldn't he?"

"Five..." Tanya realised she was terrified, afraid of failing, afraid of dying. Sobbing, she let the gun fall.

Minion had not lied to the Rangers. A single shot would be enough to kill him. All the Rangers had to do was fire. ~I hope I have not underestimated them,~ he thought as he reached six. The Rangers only had second left. A simple movement and it would all be over.

* * *

Around the world the people watched the events unfolding inside Minion's sub-dimension. The images formed in the sky, on computer and television screens. The people of Earth watched as their former heroes the Gem Coin Rangers were subjected to their most crushing blow ever. Although to the viewers elsewhere the teens were still morphed, their faces and names obscured.

The signal Minion sent out was transmitted to the various villains attacking Earth. On Eltare and the other council worlds the officials looked on as the story started to unfold.

In front of their very eyes, people around the universe watched the Gem Coin Rangers valiantly fight against Minion. They saw the Rangers lose in battle thanks to overwhelming odds. They even saw the torture the Rangers had been forced to go through.

Then to the horror of those watching from outside, Minion changed his tactics once again. Deciding that death was not a suitable punishment for the Rangers, he decided to leave them as mere shells of the once proud protectors of Earth and sworn enemies of evil.

The images showed Minion walking past his prisoners. He ignored various heroes, who were disguised to protect their identities and moved to where the Rangers were being held.

"Bronzo, release them," Minion said, gesturing to the various devices the Rangers had been strapped to.

As the people watched Bronzo did as he was told, throwing the Rangers to the ground at his master's feet. They watched as Minion waited for the Rangers to recover enough to hear his words. At the same time he allowed the audience to see what had been done to their heroes.

On Triforia the Trent, Trey's family and his subjects watched as their beloved Gold Ranger was tortured on the rack, resisting the urge to scream in agony until his limbs were almost ripped from their joints.

Jed Danielson watched the red clad youth being constantly punched in the ribs, his bones cracking from the impact. He noticed the grey clad youth sitting on the floor, his hands secured so he was unable to help his friends. While Jed did not like the Power Rangers - for he was an educated man who understood just how much power that particular group of show-off college students held and feared what would happen if they turned against the people they appeared to protect - he would never wish such treatment upon anybody.

Chelsea Oliver however knew she was watching her brother being beaten. She broke into tears as she saw the WD-Unit strike him repeatedly. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked round to see Ernie standing behind her. From the tear in his eye she could tell he was as worried about the Rangers as she was.

"For the last few days I have tortured you all and enjoyed every moment of it," Minion was saying. "But now, I think to myself am I being fair? I've had ample opportunity to kill you and I have not allowed any of you to take a single shot at me."

Reaching into subspace, he pulled out a collection of fully charged blasters. He threw them to the ground in front of the Rangers.

"For a count of six I will drop my defences and allow you to take as many shots at me as you wish. I should warn you one would be enough to kill me. Should you succeed you will be teleported back to Angel Grove."

He stopped talking; apparently trying to see whether the Rangers would respond to his offer. When there was no reply he seemed to grow irritated.

"I can see you all need a little encouragement. Your friend here will do. Here's the deal, when I reach six either you will have shot me or this poor Triforian will be dead."

"No," the Red Ranger begged. "Don't do it."

It seemed so weird to see the proud and noble leader of the Power Rangers begging. The outrage felt by millions was concentrated on one being and his name was Minion.

"One..." The Green Ranger seemed to move and then change his mind.

"Two..." The Gold Ranger reached out to the blaster. Trent, watching from Triforia could see he straining to prevent himself from sinking into despair.

"Three..." Pink Ranger's fingers touched her blaster and stayed there, unmoving.

"Four..." Red Ranger held the gun in his hand, his finger on the verge of pulling the trigger.

In Angel Grove Hospital, Rocky watched as his friends seemed unable to fight back. Could Minion really have hurt them so badly that they were incapable of fighting back? It sure looked that way. ~Come on guys,~ he prayed, ~you have to snap out of it.~

"Five..." The Yellow Ranger dropped her ground. Those who could see her face were able to see the tears. Those who could see only her mask could hear the sobbing noises behind.

"Six..."

Just as the population of thousands of world throughout the universe were about to write the Gem Coin Rangers off, the Green Ranger raised his blaster and took careful aim. The other Rangers followed his lead and aimed their weapons as well. People throughout the world watched anxiously as they wondered whether their heroes could beat the odds.

Minion pushed the former Gold Ranger's head forward and placed his small dagger close to Travis's throat. One quick jerk of his arm and it would all be over. His eyes glowed brightly as he made his viewers wait to find out what would happen.

A flash of light, the sound of blaster fire and it was all over. The images faded leaving billions of living beings wondering exactly what happened.

**To be Continued **


	31. The Final Quest

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe with an alternate time line.

The Final Quest

Phaedos

Dulcea, the Master Warrior of Phaedos, stood proudly watching their eight teens as they sparred together, building the skills and trust that every team needed. She had been impressed at how quickly the group had merged after spending most of their training divided into pairs under a single tutor. She could see the way that the more experienced Rangers acted to protect David, the newest and most vulnerable Ranger. She swelled with pride as once David's skills became evident, the others allowed him to share the burden.

Alas their training was not yet complete and time had run out. The night before she had sensed a dangerous shift in the balance of power. Something had happened on Earth and those left to defend the planetâ ¦ she could sense that something tragic had occurred.

She stepped around the fire and at once the sparring stopped. The Rangers stood before her, dressed in the uniforms she had instructed them to wear for their trek into the jungle. They were simple garments made of cloth with hard soles around the boots. By wearing them the Rangers were reminded of their focus for the task ahead and more importantly, were limited only to the Power Disks they had formed on completion of their earlier quests. In the past she had known groups enter armed with all manner of weapons; the armaments had not helped and she had been forced to remove the remains afterward to avoid polluting the jungle.

"You have come far in such a short period of time," she said. "Zordon would be proud of you, rest assured that Ninjor, Saurian, Thalian and I couldn't be prouder. And now the time has come though you have much to learn, for you to enter the jungle and seek the ancient monolith, and the Great Power. Then you will return to Earth and Power willing, put an end to Minion's evil."

"The journey is harsh and not without danger," Thalian warned. "Though you may opt not to enter the jungle, once you do so you will need to survive if you wish to exit again."

"If you choose to give up, we can retrieve you from danger," Ninjor advised, "but you will forfeit all access to the Power and will never again be Rangers."

"At the monolith you will face a test of your worthiness," Saurian told them. "Pass and the Great Power will be yours, fail and death is all that awaits you."

"Knowing this, do you wish to go?" Dulcea asked.

The Rangers exchanged nods and as one turned to their mentors. It was Jason who spoke, once again assuming the role of commander, a role he had been born for. "You bet we do," he told her, "Tommy and the others need us."

Dulcea nodded, even more confident that they had made the correct choice.

* * *

They started on their journey. Jason led with Billy and Trini close behind, Zack and Kimberly followed, and then came David; Aisha and Sam stayed at the back, alert for any ambush. The trip seemed uneventful. Actually, it was boring.

Billy was nervous. He had studied all the information he could find on Phaedos and the quest for the Great Power. Unfortunately there had not been much information to hand. Very little was known about the quest because only a few had lived to tell the tale. He was certain though that Dulcea would not have told them the journey would be dangerous just to test their courage.

Trini seemed to sense his thoughts. "This is too easy."

Since they had trained together in Ninjor's temple the bond between the two had deepened and although Billy tried to rationalise his feelings, there was something more than friendship about the way he looked at her.

"Affirmative," he muttered back.

"When do you think the attack will come?" she asked.

The Rangers were not naive enough to take the peace for granted.

"From what I was able to read, there are many trials on the quest and they change each time. Dulcea told me there have never been eight people questing at the same time, at least not together."

"This place is alive," Sam commented. "I can feel the magic."

"How much further to the Monolith?" Kimberly asked.

Billy studied a map. "Two, maybe three hours at this pace." He paused as the map changed. "Although it appears that can change at any time."

In a few more minutes, the six Rangers came to a clearing, with a cave sunk into a rocky promontory, and a flat, treeless area in front of the opening. Suddenly Zack stopped. "Do you hear that?" he whispered.

Kimberly shook her head. "I don't hear anything."

"That's just the point," Billy realized, his eyes narrowed. "No birds, no insects, no nothing."

Sam nodded. "There's something here."

In unison, the teens turned towards the cave opening, as a low, breathy hiss became audible. Then, slowly, a huge snake slithered into the light. It had a head the size of any one of the Rangers, and a body thick as a tree-trunk. Sizing up the Rangers with cold red eyes, it seemingly licked its lips. Billy swallowed.

"Snakes," he muttered. "Why did it have to be snakes?" Suddenly the creature lunged at David, who barely escaped as it tried to encircle him in its coils.

The snake struck again, and this time David was not fast enough to escape. Once it had him in its grasp, the creature began to apply pressure.

"Hiyahh!" Jason wound up, launching a kick into the snake's side. The reptile ignored him, however, concentrating solely on its prey as Zack and Aisha joined in with their own kicks.

"We can't make a dent in this thing!" Kimberly cried as she bounced off its scaly skin.

"We have to keep on trying!" Trini responded, wishing that she had her Power Daggers to hand. Beating at the snake's head with a tree branch seemed to have little effect, even when Sam joined in.

Meanwhile, Billy was frantically scanning the area for anything he could use against the snake. Suddenly he saw something glimmering inside the cave. Entering the cavern, the teen genius examined the crystal stalagmite carefully. "Some sort of clear crystal," he mused. Touching the point, he let out a muffled cry. "Sharp, too," he added, sucking on his finger.

Billy grabbed the sides of the spire carefully.

"It's not part of the floor- that's a weaker granite-type rock," he realised. "Got to- shift it." He began to pull at the rock.

"Somebody- get me out of here!" Zack yelled. "I think I- heard my ribs creak!"

"Got it!" Billy cried, as the stalagmite cracked into his hands. Holding it by the base, he ran and leaped onto the back of the snake. "Lights- out!" Billy puffed, bringing the spire down, piercing the snake's skin at the back of the neck. The diamond tip cut through the scales, and the snake fell dead, releasing Zack.

Taking a few deep breaths, the Black Ranger looked up at his best friend. "Thanks, man," he drawled. "Next time, why don't you see if you can't cut it a little closer?"

Billy laughed, and hauled his friend to his feet, careful not to jar his friend's bruised ribs. "Come on," he said to the group. "One down, one to go."

* * *

"We're almost there," Sam told them a while later. He could sense the magic.

"Through those trees." Billy agreed after checking the map.

The Rangers entered the clearing which held the entrance to the Monolith. They slowly spread out while walking towards it.

Standing in front of them were eight stone gargoyles, their bodies shaped to appear roughly humanoid. David eyed them cautiously, noting the obvious theme as he did so. One was a falcon, the next a crane, a third a bear and the fourth a panther; fifth a chameleon, sixth an ape, seventh a frog and finally a wolf.

The gargoyles moved in on the Rangers. The crane leapt into the air and flew over Kimberly, landed and then kicked her in the back. The ape rolled forward until it was right beneath Jason's feet, grabbed his ankles and then used its feet to grab Jason's neck and letting go of his ankles, threw Jason into the pool beneath the waterfall.

The falcon rushed David, who managed pull himself out of its attack and land a solid kick to its back. Sadly he was kicking stone and the attack proved less than successful. The gargoyle slid into his legs, knocking him down. Quickly gaining its feet, the falcon reared its leg back and kicked David in the torso. The frog, in a series of quick bounds, moved on Zack. Springing into a series of roundhouse kicks it caught Zack in the side of the head, but before it could follow up it was hit by the chameleon. Zack looked around to see Aisha watching as the two stone monsters smashed. Nodding in agreement, the two took off to help David.

The bear quickly closed on Trini. She sidestepped its rush and stuck her leg out, tripping the bear. The bear rolled forward and turned, then rushed her again. She stood her ground and waited for the bear to come to her. When it got close enough, she grabbed its lead arm and using its momentum swung the bear into the ground. Next to the waterfall she could see Jason fighting back against the ape, using brute force to knock his opponent about.

Billy and Sam switched opponents, each using their knowledge of their teammate to out think their new opponent. When Billy leapt over his opponent, he managed to grab the figure's hood and brought its face down into the dirt. He stayed down as the panther stood in time to be on the receiving end of Sam's flying kick. He rolled back to his feet in time to intercept the wolf.

Together the Rangers surrounded the surviving gargoyles and together the eight of them attacked as one, vanquishing their opponents and completing their quest.

The Rangers turned when they heard a grinding noise coming from the entrance of the Monolith. A bright light appeared and then eight beams of light streaked out and went towards the Rangers. The Rangers were then enveloped by the lights.

When the lightshow ended, the Rangers found themselves in their Ranger uniforms, finally united as a team. They could feel the new power coursing through them, so similar to their morphing powers yet separate.

"I feel amazing," Zack managed after a while. The experience was too much for him to sum up in just a few words. It was too much for any of them to describe.

* * *

"Congratulations Rangers," Dulcea said as she emerged with Ninjor, Saurian and Thalian.

The eight fully powered Rangers gathered at the ancient ruins. Before them were Saurian, Thalian and Ninjor, all dressed in their battle armour.

"Congratulations indeed," Ninjor said. "Now that you have all gained your powers the team has been unified. I feel this is going to be the beginning of something truly special."

"What about Zords?" Jason asked.

"I can answer that," Saurian told him. "When you first became Rangers your Zords were second hand. Now they have been specially built, for you. The Dino, Thunder Shogun and Ninja Zords have been distributed to you. In addition you will find that sometimes it is not necessary to call on the Zords."

Thalian nudged him, silencing the powerful warrior with a glare. "They're meant to figure that out for themselves, remember?"

Saurian sniffed and continued. "If you need to use more than one set of Zords, then Sam and Jason will control all the Dino Zords, Kimberly and Zack will control the Thunder Zords, Trini and Billy will control the Ninja Zords and David and Aisha will command the Shogun Zords or Battle Borgs."

"In addition, I will be on call should you need us," Ninjor told them. "Now Rangers it is time for you to return to your world and help out those who have been covering for you."

"One thing before we go guys," Jason said holding out his hand. One by one the other Rangers placed their hand on top, Sam in the center and David on top of the pile. Together they all started to chant, "Go, go, goâ ¦"

The chant increased in speed as their arms moved up and down. Finally they all cried out, "Power Rangers!"

The quests were over, it was time for the new heroes of Earth to return home.

**To be Continued **


	32. Light in the Distance

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of writing.

Light in the Distance

Earth

She couldn't take much more. Just like Travis she had been forced to watch others being tortured. But whereas Travis had only been forced to see his teammates suffer, she had been forced to watch as Minion had first beaten her teammates. There had been no turning away from the things he had done to some of the female heroes he had captured. And after he had sliced off Flash's legs, he had thrown them into the invisible bubble where she resided, watching all the action.

She was on the verge of a mental breakdown; the only thing keeping her from losing control was the threat her powers posed should that happen.

"Release them," Minion said, gesturing to the various devices the Rangers had been strapped to.

Bronzo did as he was told, throwing the Rangers to the ground at his master's feet. Minion waited for the Rangers to recover enough to hear his words.

"For the last few days I have tortured you all and enjoyed every moment of it. But now, I think to myself 'am I being fair?' I've had many opportunities to harm you and I have not allowed any of you to take a single shot at me."

Reaching into subspace, he pulled out a collection of fully charged blasters. He threw them to the ground in front of the Rangers.

"For a count of six I will drop my defences and allow you to take as many shots at me as you wish. I should warn you one would be enough to kill me. Should you succeed you will be teleported back to Angel Grove and from there you can go wherever you wish."

"I can see you all need a little encouragement. Travis here will do. Here's the deal, when I reach six either you will have shot me or this poor Triforian."

She regarded the Rangers on the ground. They were teenagers, barely out of high school if she guessed correctly. And here Minion expected them to attack him after all they had been through? No, she quickly realised that was not what he had in mind at all. Minion knew they would not attack, was counting on their experience proving sufficient to stop them from lifting a finger to aid Travis. He wanted them to see their friend's death and know that there had been a chance to save him.

"No," Tommy begged. "Don't do it."

Silently she echoed the Red Gem Coin Ranger's plea.

"One..." Adam stared stupidly at the weapon in front of him.

"Two..." Trey reached out to the blaster. He wondered why everything was suddenly moving in slow motion.

"Three..." Kat's fingers touched his blaster and stayed there, unmoving. He wondered suddenly why he'd put them there.

"Four..." Tommy tried to reason it out. He had the blaster in his hand; all he had to do was shoot. So why couldn't he?

"Five..." Tanya realised she was terrified, afraid of failing, afraid of dying. Sobbing, she let the gun fall.

She sensed that Minion had not lied to the Rangers. A single shot would be enough to kill him. All the Rangers had to do was fire. But there was the problem, after all they had endured and at such a young age, they lacked the enormous act of will to keep fighting.

Just as the blade made contact with Travis's skin, Adam managed to pull himself together enough to start to raise his blaster and fire. The other Rangers spurred on by his lead aimed their weapons as well, but it was too late. As he reached six, Minion extended his hand toward the Rangers, allowing the black tendrils that stretched from his fingers to surround them, preventing them from firing. Then with utmost glee he drew the dagger across Travis's throat, laughing as Travis collapsed to the ground.

Blood pooled across the ground, the Rangers watched in horror as their friend was brutalised while they were incapable of helping him. They struggled against their magical restraints, trying desperately to keep Minion from causing further harm, assuming it was not too late. Minion reached down and picked up his dagger, taking a moment to sample the blood. Standing back up, he drove the Sword of Ragnarok through the fallen Triforian's abdomen, more innocent blood coating the deadly blade.

She was speechless. She had seen many criminals in the past, but this was just cruelty. Magic was one thing, but to kill so coldly and with his own hand on the weapon, spoke of the horrors Minion would inflict on the Earth once he was finished with the Rangers.

"Bastard," she hissed, struggling to maintain a grasp on her emotions, knowing that only Minion would hear her.

"Now, now," Minion warned, focussing his words directly to her. He mentally tightened the magical grip around her; "if you don't have anything nice to say," and here he sent a surge of dark energy through the tendril that held her in place, "DON'T SAY ANYTHING!"

He moved to strike her and stopped, realising that if he killed her then his plans would fail. He needed her out of control and as powerful as she could be. When he was done here, he planned to give her to some of Rita's underlings and once Goldar had enjoyed her for a few days and assuming she survived, she would be ready for the grand finale.

"One down, five to go," he said, watching the Rangers' faces. Yes, he could see their pain. It seemed that whatever tortures he inflicted upon them physically, it was nothing compared to how he could hurt them mentally. "Tomorrow we will try again with a special guest," he promised. "Silvo, take them to the cells. And you witch, have a date with a monkey."

* * *

Reefside Next Day

Eight columns of light heralded the arrival of Jason, Sam, Billy, Trini, Kimberly, Zack, Aisha and David, all freshly returned from their successful quests for new powers. They had been expecting some sort of welcome home, but instead found the fall back Operations Center deserted.

"What happened here?" Jason asked as he studied a monitor that showed Minion's forces were roaming through most of the world's largest cities.

"Looks as if our friends may have experienced odds they were unable to compete against and as a result paid the inevitable price," Billy said.

"In other words, they lost a battle and Minion won," Trini translated.

"All right," Jason said, taking charge. "We need information. Billy, you take Trini, Zack and Aisha. Go to the Power Chamber and see if you can get Alpha and Zordon on line." During their time in the various temples, the Rangers had learnt that Zordon was alive. "The rest of us will head to Angel Grove and see what we can learn."

* * *

"How much further Billy?" Trini asked as the four Rangers dropped into another service shaft.

So far they had discovered that when Zordon had redesigned Power Mountain to use the teleportation system instead of relying on doors and long corridors he had failed to foresee a time when the teleportation system might be offline. Given that the various rooms were now inaccessible except by squeezing through a number of small passages, the decision was proving inconvenient.

This meant in order to get to the power generators the Rangers first had to trek through two miles of service ducts, climb down a ladder and then trek another quarter of a mile to the lower control room. After that they still had to find their way down another six miles to the bottom of the mountain.

There was a rapid descent device designed for Alpha to use, but none of the Rangers liked the idea of falling feet first down a tube for seven miles with only a cargo net at the bottom to stop them. Especially when they knew that the tube had been designed for Alpha and was therefore covered with oil on the inside. Billy could not imagine that Alpha enjoyed the idea of falling that far either. Therefore he assumed the little android had found an alternative method.

Finally they found their way into the lower control room. Billy, surprised to find the room intact and operational, quickly checked the computer to see if there were any other areas that could be used.

After a short time Aisha and Trini had managed to isolate one of the hefty power cables, no doubt planning for when they tried to restore the Power Chamber. With the use of the seemingly independent power supply, they managed to restore some of the basic Power Chamber functions such as internal communications. Billy took the opportunity to advise Jason on their progress.

"Short range teleport is still offline, but we have scanners back. We can start a search now and transmit the results. We should all be able to stay in touch now."

"Understood," Jason replied.

* * *

"At last," Minion stated, looking at the broken teens before him. "Your friends have returned," he told Tommy, prodding the boy with his foot, enjoying the whimper as his toes touched against a broken rib.

The Red Gem Coin Ranger looked up at him, his expression a beautiful mix of relief and suspicion. Minion smiled to himself, he was the one responsible for the Rangers doubting themselves. Surely they had felt the massive surge of magical energy that had heralded Jason's arrival.

"Since your friends are back ahead of schedule we'll have to move ahead with the timetable," he announced. "You have two hours to decide who will be the next to die, or I will choose."

With that he walked out.

* * *

"Okay Billy, give it a try," Trini called as she finished working on Alpha's damaged circuitry.

"Powering up now," Billy replied from the console that he had jury-rigged to repair the small droid.

Alpha had been so badly damaged during the destruction of the Power Chamber that the Rangers had been unable to attempt repair. Now with a desperate need to access the computer systems, they had patched his databanks into the Power Chamber's computer system.

"1010101010 1001 001001" the computer said as it slowly powered up and interfaced with Alpha.

Billy adjusted the controls and tried again. This time the results were more favourable.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Rangers!" Alpha cried. "You're safe!"

"Alpha, are you okay?" Kimberly asked.

"I don't..." Alpha went quiet as if trying to recall what had been going on. "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, my body is malfunctioning."

"Um Alpha, your body was kind of destroyed," Kimberly explained.

"Alpha, we need to know what's been happening on Earth," Jason said, interrupting the discussion. They would worry about Alpha's body later. "Can you access any of Zordon's satellites?"

It took a while because Minion's forces had damaged most of the White Master's observation satellites. In the end the android was forced to tap into local news computers and pull out any stories concerning the Power Rangers. "Oh no, Travis!" he called as he attempted to feed the footage into the small monitor.

"How could they just lie there?" Zack asked, noticing that the other Rangers had barely lifted a finger to help.

"After all they've been through I would suspect Minion surmised a lack of aggression on their part," Billy explained. "This was just another phase of the process. They watched him kill a comrade, imagine how they feel."

The others didn't need to imagine. For Jason and Billy knew Trey quite well. The Red Ranger had spent time with Travis after the Tri-union had failed, and while there were differences, Travis had proven himself every bit as noble as Trent and Trey.

~What happened to him when he died? ~ Jason wondered. ~Did he go to an afterlife or did his essence simply return to Trey? ~

"We don't know that he died," Aisha pointed out. That was true, the transmission had ended before the scene had played out. Did Travis survive? Somehow the other doubted it.

"Alpha, was there anything else?" Jason asked.

"I'm just checking the police computers," Alpha replied. "Oh, ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, somebody broke into the Angel Grove Hospital and kidnapped a patient."

"Rocky," Kimberly realised.

David had yet to say anything, he was staring at the image of his brother, clearly hurting, urging him to move.

* * *

Minion sensed that the time was right. The Rangers had returned from their quests and now he had his opportunity to crush them just as he had the Gem Coin Rangers. He knew that fully powered Rangers combined with their Gem Coin wielding friends had a slight chance of defeating him. It was not something he wanted to happen. Minion knew the answer was to make an immediate strike and that would mean he had to reserve as much power as possible.

"Silvo, Brasso, come here!"

His two servants appeared before him as always. He looked them over; both were strong and capable warriors and he had no doubt each would give the Rangers a fight to remember. But Minion also knew the Rangers would defeat them.

"Lower all the barriers apart from Stone Henge. It's time to send the Rangers a little welcome home present. Shi'nom, Elder of Darkness, I summon you."

"Yes, my lord," Brasso and Silvo replied, both vanishing to complete their next mission.

* * *

"Who is that?" David asked.

The alarm had sounded, warning the Rangers that Minion was aware of their presence. On the screen a humanoid giant with a brown cloak and blue markings around his eyes, was storming his way through a Canadian city.

"Rangers, this is Shi'nom, an Elder of Darkness trained by Master Vile," Alpha explained.

On the screen giant Shi'nom was walking through buildings, happily trashing anything in his way. Lightning bolts from his staff levelled tall buildings while the people ran for cover.

"We need to take care of Shi'nom before he trashes the city," Jason said. "It's Morphin Time!"

"White Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

This was the first time that they had morphed as a team, the first time they would discover their new uniforms. They were pleasantly surprised. Their costumes retained the dinosaur theme of the original Rangers of Earth, but their boots and gloves remained in their Ranger colours. Their helmets were identical in shape despite their varying colours, each shaped to resembled that of the original Red Ranger's helmet. The diamonds on their chests were white, or black in the White Ranger's case, and held a gold circle in the center where their chosen animal appeared. A series of smaller diamonds ran up the outside of their arms and legs. The tops of their boots, edge of their gauntleted gloves and belts were gold and they each wore a Blade Blaster on the right-hand side of their belts.

Green Ranger kept his traditional shield and protective bands, White Ranger had a similar shield and the diamonds on his arms and legs were slightly sharper. Both Rangers had a sheath on their backs, Green to hold his Dragon Dagger and White to contain his weapon, which he had called the Drago Sword.

It was then Pink Ranger asked the question the others had not considered. "Guys, we have like four sets of Zords and one monster. Which set do we use?"

"Well technically the only Zords we have are the Ninja Zords," Blue Ranger replied. "The Thunder and Dino Zords will take time to be recreated and Shogun Zords and Battle Borgs need to be redesigned."

"Okay," Red Ranger said. "We need Ninja Zord power, now!"

A beam of light shone from each Ranger's chest into the sky, combining at a distant point and calling forth the Ninja Zords from the Temple of Ninja Powers. In the sky above eight Zords appeared, not the prototype Ninja Zords the Gem Coin Rangers had been forced to use, these were the fully functional Ninja Zords that the original Ninja Rangers of Earth had used. The Rangers felt themselves being teleported into their Zords.

"All right Rangers log on," Red Ranger said.

"This Zack, back in black and ready to attack," Black Ranger said from inside the Frog.

"Billy here, all systems nominal," Blue Ranger reported, glad to be back in the Wolf again.

"Bear Zord powered up and ready," Yellow Ranger called in.

"Hey, who put this Michael Bolton tape in this Zords stereo?" Pink Ranger said from inside the Crane, realising she shouted "Kat, why?!"

"Hawk Zord ready for action," Purple Ranger called.

"Panther Zord online." The Green Ranger's comment was more to himself than to the Red Ranger.

"Whoa!" The shout came from David who was the only Ranger who had never operated a Zord before. As a result he was finding it difficult to keep control of the Falcon.

"David relax and let the Power guide you," Yellow Ranger advised.

White Ranger did as he was told and found he was able to regain control. "White Ranger back in control, Falcon Zord ready for action."

"Bring them together," Red Ranger said. "Ninja MegaFalconzord!"

"Ninja Battlezord!" Green Ranger called.

The Crane started to fold to form the head while at the same time the Frog transformed to become the legs and the Bear converted to become the Ninja MegaFalconzord's upper body. The already modified Ape and Wolf joined onto the Bear to form the arms as the Crane linked on to become the head. Then the whole upper body joined onto the Frog as the Falcon Zord linked onto the back. Hands formed over the Ape and Wolf's heads.

The Panther Zord transformed to stand upright on its hind legs. The head rotated downwards to become the chest and the front paws became the arms. The Hawk Zord's wings and head folded into the body as the Hawk Zord joined onto the shoulders of the Panther to become the head of the Ninja Battlezord. The Panther's tail converted into a Power Sword as Purple and Green Rangers slid into the cockpit ready for action.

What followed was a fast paced high impact battle. The Ninja MegaFalconzord held Shi'nom's staff to one side allowing the Battlezord to use its sword. With a cry of pain Shi'nom struck back with an assault of lightning bolts. It took a while for the Rangers to shake off the effects of Shi'nom's attack as he charged them.

"Battle Strike!" Green and Purple Rangers called.

The Ninja Battlezord gave a short spin and drove its Power Sword into Shi'nom's chest. As it stopped spinning the Zord ducked out of the way as the Ninja MegaFalconzord descended using its double power punch. Shi'nom exploded as the Zords celebrated their victory.

* * *

Devils End, England.

The Master stood over the altar hidden in the caverns under the old church. Once before he had tried to use the power within the caverns to gain control over a being of near infinite power. He had failed. This time, the Master had taken no chances. He had found an object that would allow him to access the demons of a distant realm and turn them to his bidding. Now if he could just solve the box's puzzle.

* * *

Power Chamber

The alarm sounded as it detected yet another disturbance in Angel Grove. Alpha adjusted the monitor view, using the subroutine he had developed during the last few hours. Although the android wanted his body back, the direct link to the computer made things much easier. On the monitor Billy and Kimberly stared at the familiar figure running from a pack of metallic hounds.

"Its Dex!" Alpha cried, recognising his creator's grandson.

"Alpha, can we teleport him here?" Trini asked.

"What's going on?" Jason asked. He had been arranging the rebuilding work with Billy.

"Who is that?" Zack asked.

"Dex," Kimberly and Billy said together.

"Dex is the rightful Prince of Edenoi and holder of the Masked Rider powers," Billy explained. "We met him a few years ago and helped him to fight off an attack from his uncle."

"And now he needs your help again," Alpha said. "Please Rangers, I owe Lexian so much."

"Of course," Jason agreed. "It's Morphin Time!"

"White Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

In eight columns of coloured light the Rangers teleported to save the alien who would prove to be a valuable ally in the future. As they directed themselves to surround the Masked Rider, they appeared and burst into action.

Pink and Blue Ranger stayed with the weakened Prince whilst Red and Green Rangers battled the now humanoid hound and Yellow, Purple, White and Black Rangers battled the WD Units that had appeared.

"Billy, how do we beat these guys?" Yellow Ranger shouted.

"Try the weapon I have been working on," Blue Ranger suggested.

Yellow Ranger did as her friend suggested and a silver pistol appeared in her hand. Not sure what to do, she pulled the trigger and was thrown backwards by the force of the shot. Orange powder covered the WD Units, leaving a trail of red dots on the Viventallum skin.

"Strike three dots and they're down," Blue Ranger called.

At first Black Ranger was going to ask whether it was that simple, but when he looked at the Troopers in front of him he realised the dots were in different places on each Trooper.

"Let's improve the odds Rangers," Red Ranger called, noting they were outnumbered, especially with two Rangers covering Dex. "Billy, Kim, get him out of here."

In columns of pink, blue and clear the two Rangers teleported their friend to the safety of the Power Chamber.

"Power Sword!" Red Ranger called.

The more powerful version of his original weapon appeared at his command. Although Jason had lost some of his impulsiveness during his time at the Peace Conference and as Gold Ranger, the Red Ranger had lost none of his skill with a sword. As he attacked the hound, Green Ranger waited for an opportunity before calling on his own sword.

"Dragon Fire!" he called as he pointed the sword towards the henchman. A ball of green fire emerged from the tip of the sword engulfing Brasso.

"Black Ranger Thunder Clap!" Black Ranger called.

As he kept three WD Units away using his unique fighting style black clouds started to form over the Troopers' heads. Lightning bolts shot from the cloud, striking multiple points on each Trooper's body. As three dots were hit a chunk of metal fell away from the Trooper, leaving it deactivated.

"Power Daggers!" Yellow Ranger called. The sharp and deadly daggers appeared in her hands.

Aiming carefully she threw them at two of the WD Units advancing on her. The daggers bounced off the metallic skin and returned to her hand. She threw them again with similar results. The third time she threw them her plan became evident. With three spots hit the WD Units shut down.

"Rolling Thunder!" she called.

Yellow clouds surrounded the WD Units and as she brought her hands together the clouds released their full power. The WD Units crumbled from the head to toe.

Purple Ranger meanwhile was making use of her distance attacks. Striking out with her Power Whip she ensured none of the WD Units could get close enough to use their superior strength. She still had to duck when one of the Troopers decided to use a javelin against her. Drawing her Blade Blaster she targeted the dots on each Trooper and fired. One by one the Troopers shut down.

White Ranger had quickly discovered the hidden abilities of his sword. After making a series of movements, it generated a collection of magically charged arrows, which shot toward the waiting targets.

Brasso had appeared sometime after the fighting had started. He prided himself on his skills with his personal weapon. So far he had used it to block, trip and stab the Green Ranger. Despite their improved battle skills they were no-match for him. In a flash of silver Silvo appeared beside his fellow soldier.

"I didn't think I'd be seeing you again Green Ranger," Silvo said.

Sam winced as he remembered the last time they had face each other. But this time he was a full Ranger and he had the advantage. The Green Ranger was in full control and soon Silvo realised that he was defeated.

Stronger and now impervious to Brasso's spear, Red Ranger still maintained his speed advantage over the Viventallum henchman. As Brasso lunged forward with his spear Red Ranger moved to the side, lifted his opponent into the air and let him drop to the ground. The Power naturally enhanced each punch or kick he landed. As he lashed out with a thrust kick, Brasso was sent flying into the back of Silvo.

* * *

"No!" Minion shouted. "They shall not win. Silvo, Brasso, use the hound as raw material and grow!"

* * *

Black light surrounded Brasso and Silvo as they started to grow larger. The fallen WD Units vanished as the two henchmen tried to flatten the Rangers with their feet.

"Billy, Kimberly, we're going to need you," Red Ranger called. "We need Ninja Zord power, now!"

As Blue and Pink Rangers reappeared next to their fellow Rangers a beam of light shot from their chests. In the sky above the eight Ninja Zords appeared, answering the calls of their respective Rangers.

"Okay Rangers, bring them together," Red Ranger instructed. "Ninja MegaFalconzord!"

"Ninja Battlezord!" Green Ranger called.

The Crane started to fold to form the head while at the same time the Frog transformed to become the legs and the Bear converted to become the Ninja MegaFalconzord's upper body. The already modified Ape and Wolf joined onto the Bear to form the arms as the Crane linked on to become the head. Then the whole upper body joined onto the Frog as the Falcon Zord linked onto the back. Hands formed over the Ape and Wolf's heads.

The Panther Zord transformed to stand upright on its hind legs. The head rotated downwards to become the chest and the front paws became the arms. The Hawk Zord's wings and head folded into the body as the Hawk Zord joined onto the shoulders of the Panther to become the head of the Ninja Battlezord. The Panther's tail converted into a Power Sword as Purple and Green Rangers slid into the cockpit ready for action.

Green and Purple Ranger insisted they be allowed to take on Silvo. Both had been on the receiving end of his strikes in the past and enjoyed the opportunity to get even. That left the Ninja MegaFalconzord to deal with Brasso.

Brasso charged the large Zord with his spear, hoping the run it through with a single blow. The MegaFalconzord responded by lifting off the ground, extending its left leg out fully and performing a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin. The spin caught Brasso in the side of the head, throwing the henchman to the ground.

The Battlezord and Silvo were equally matched in size. As Silvo tried to slip his sword beneath the Battlezord's defences the Zord responded with a punch to Silvo's chest.

"Battle Strike!" Green and Purple Rangers called.

Silvo had seen the effects of the Battlezord's attack and wanted no part of it. In a flash of silver he left the area, leaving Brasso alone against two powerful Zords.

Brasso knew he was outnumbered and decided a change of tactic was required. The metal skin appeared to melt as it transformed. Spikes appeared around the shoulders and knees. The spear in his hand transformed into a trident, which he threw at the rapidly approaching Zords.

The trident struck the Ninja MegaFalconzord in the chest producing a shower of sparks. Blue Ranger checked and reported they had suffered slight damage, but not enough to slow them. Brasso followed up by firing the spikes on his shoulders at the Battlezord.

"Take us airborne," Red Ranger said.

Pink Ranger took control of the Ninja MegaFalconzord and launched the Zord into the air and acted to divert Brasso's attention, allowing the Battlezord to attack.

"Battle Strike!" the Green and Purple Rangers called a second time.

As Brasso looked back towards the Battlezord the other Rangers took the opportunity to move in from behind and grab hold of his arms. Now locked in position Brasso fell victim to the Battlezord's sword. As he staggered away the MegaFalconzord launched into the air to finish its opponent, driving both fists into the henchman's body to destroy the Brasso.

* * *

Power Chamber, A few hours later

After securing Dex in the medical bay at Reefside, the Rangers had contacted the Stewart family in Leewood to tell them he was safe. Dex rarely stayed there, but it gave him an address to use while on Earth. Billy had gone to find a way to coat any future WD Units they encountered with the chemical to highlight their weaknesses. Jason, Sam and Zack had gone to try the Simulation Deck elsewhere in the Reefside building, leaving David, Aisha, Kim and Trini together. Trini excused herself saying something about tracking Billy down. David and the others hung around the Power Chamber for a while before leaving for their homes.

With the Rangers gone the rebuilding of the Power Chamber continued. Alpha used the opportunity to transmit a signal to guide the other Zords to Earth. He just hoped they would not be needed.

* * *

Minion's Island Two Days Later

He was behind schedule and Minion was getting impatient. He had refrained from attacking the Rangers for a couple of days, giving them a chance to come to terms with their victory over his WD Units. At the same time he had slowed the torture of the Gem Coin Rangers in case he needed them. The loss of Brasso had been a severe blow and highlighted a need to deal with the new Rangers quickly.

~Or at least their Zords,~ he thought. ~Yes, Zords make the Rangers. Take the Zords and the Rangers will fall.~

"Silvo, come here!"

"Yes master?" Silvo asked.

"Go to London; I want the city levelled. Take eight Nega Rangers with you, and if the Rangers dare to show up, let them experience what the Nega Rangers can do."

"As you wish," Silvo said as he vanished.

Minion's mind returned to more pleasant tasks, such as breaking the former Zeo Rangers. Killing them was still not enough. Minion wanted them to suffer more and to go on suffering long after he had finished with them. Perhaps it was time to test them again.

"Bronzo!"

"Yes Minion?" Bronzo asked as he appeared.

"Recover the remains of Brasso."

"As you command," Bronzo said disappearing.

* * *

Silvo led the Nega Rangers on a firelight tour of London. Making their way toward the Houses of Parliament, they took the opportunity to destroy some local landmarks. Their activities did not go undetected by Alpha who sent the Rangers into action.

"Hold it right there!" Red Ranger ordered.

"What do you want?" Nega Red asked. "We already beat your friends."

"You beat a team of half-powered Rangers," Blue Ranger shot back.

"And now you get to face the real thing," Black Ranger added.

"Because you have no idea who we are," Yellow Ranger stated.

"We're the Power Rangers," Pink Ranger told them.

"And you are history," White Ranger finished.

Green Ranger didn't need to say anything. He drew his blade Blaster and waited for the uncertain Nega Rangers to attack. After a moment's hesitation the Nega Rangers moved.

At first the battle was similar to the first fight between the Gem Coin Rangers and the Nega Rangers. Then the Rangers started to fight back, shifting the battle in their favour.

"Power Sword!" Red Ranger called.

After a brief battle with Nega Red he took his opponent of his feet and drove the Power Sword into Nega Red's armour. Nega Red collapsed to the ground; the Power Sword still embedded in his chest. Before Red Ranger could celebrate Nega Red pulled the sword clear and threw it to the ground before striking his enemy with a backhand.

Yellow Ranger and Nega Yellow circled each other cautiously, trying to figure out the other's skill and range of attack. Whilst Yellow Ranger relied on Kung Fu, Nega Yellow swift strikes to throw the Yellow Ranger around. As Nega Yellow grabbed her though, Trini teleported away. Seconds later she kicked Nega Yellow in the back of the head.

White Ranger was the most inexperienced on the battlefield and was having trouble fighting against Nega White. When the battle changed from strength to mental powers, David realised just how much he needed to learn.

"Concentrate White Ranger." David had been struck so hard by Nega White's barrage he had forgotten what Dulcea had taught him. "Just let the Power guide you. See your enemy's power and deflect it with your mind."

White Ranger did as he was told, imagining a circle of white light protecting him from Nega White's attack. With a slight nudge he sent the power flowing the other way.

White Ranger looked around as he heard the shouts of Green Ranger fighting his Nega Ranger counterpart. Nega Green had drawn a weapon resembling the Dragon Dagger and was swiping wildly at Green Ranger. The Green Ranger responded by using his magic powers to strike the Nega Ranger with electricity. Both of them performed a flying drop kick, striking each other in mid air. Both fell to the ground, neither one moving.

* * *

Somehow Black Ranger had been driven back towards the Thames. He knew that was not a good idea, especially if there were more Nega Rangers lurking around.

"Power Axe!"

Using his dance moves to keep the Nega Ranger guessing Black Ranger finally attacked, striking Nega Black in the hip. Converting to Cosmic Cannon mode he opened fire.

Nega Black laughed as he pulled out his own axe and swung at Black Ranger. Zack ducked, grateful that his armour was stronger than the original Ranger uniforms. A second blow from Nega Black almost decapitated him. As the Nega Ranger prepared for a third attempt Black Ranger used his powers to summon a new attack of his own.

"Black Ranger Thunder Clap!"

Black Ranger used the disruption caused by his attack to open fire with his Cosmic Cannon a second time. This time Nega Black fell down.

* * *

"We have to keep them away from the Parliament," Blue Ranger shouted as Purple and Pink Rangers moved to his side.

For Blue and Pink Ranger it was a team they had perfected during their early days as Rangers. Purple Ranger complemented the team by following Blue Ranger's lead. Together they provided cover against Nega Blue, Purple and Pink's assaults, allowing Pink Ranger to aim and fire her arrows.

Nega Blue and Purple copied their counterparts whilst Nega Pink returned fire. It became obvious the Nega Rangers were not as seasoned as the Power Rangers were. Although they were able to work together, they had not mastered being able to read each other's moves. The result was Nega Pink being struck when Nega Purple failed to cover her.

"Enough playing," Nega Blue said, his voice sounding like Rocky. "Nega Guns!"

Together the Nega Rangers charged; their blaster shots burning into the Rangers' armour. Launching into the air, the Nega Rangers pounced on their Ranger counterparts.

Pink Ranger discovered that at close range Nega Pink was the better fight. Nothing she did seemed to penetrate the Nega Ranger's defences. Nega Pink casually dismissed Pink Ranger with a flick of her wrist.

Purple Ranger and Nega Purple were involved in a match of whip versus Nunchuks, both of them aware of the other's intentions. Purple Ranger remembered that Nunchuks were used as a bludgeon for close attacks. If Nega Purple got close enough and decided to use the weapon in that way, Purple Ranger would not be able to defend herself.

Nega Purple was equally aware of the threat from Purple Ranger's whip. Twisting the handle of her weapon, she revealed a set of spikes set into the handle. With the blades fully revealed they resembled a small chain mace.

Purple Ranger saw what was coming, but it was already too late to react. The chain mace cut into her armour allowing Nega Purple to disarm her opponent.

"Heeyah!"

Blue Ranger drove his shoulder into Nega Purple, driving her away from Purple Ranger and giving his teammate time to recover. Noticing that Nega Blue was in pursuit Billy decided that a change of uniform was in order.

"Ninja Ranger Power!"

Once in his ninja outfit Billy called on his ninja powers to help him. After Earth Swimming to a position under Nega Blue he emerged, Power Lance in hand. Spinning the lance as he emerged caused Nega Blue to collapse to the ground.

Nega Blue punched Billy in the stomach as he got to his feet. "We're not done yet Blue Ranger," he promised. "We're going to have a lot of fun together you and I. Right before I finish you."

"Not today you won't," a voice said.

Nega Blue turned to see the other Rangers with their Blade Blaster drawn and ready to fire.

"Nega Blue, withdraw," Silvo ordered as he vanished along with the other Nega Rangers.

"I'll be back Billy," Nega Blue said as he vanished. "You can bet on it."

* * *

This was not how Minion had planned things, the Rangers were not supposed to win their first battle, let alone a fight against his Nega Rangers. He had made the mistake of allowing the prisoners to watch the battles and could see a glimmer of hope in their expressions. Even when he had strung the body of Travis in front of them, he had been met with looks that promised payback instead of the despair he had hoped for. It was becoming obvious that they still believed that he could be stopped even if they died in the process. Perhaps it was time to remind them of how brutal he could be.

"I hope you're watching all this," he said to his captive. He could feel her lack of control, made obvious as the hairs on his neck stood on end. This would push her over the edge and then the Rangers would pay. Then his pain would end.

"And now we return to our earlier discussion," he told the captive Rangers. "Have you made your decision? Any of you willing to give up their life so the rest can live for an extra day or two?"

They didn't answer, he could see the determination in their eyes as they stared up at him. Tanya was scowling at him in disgust; Trey looked murderous.

"Why can't you just give up Rangers?" he asked. "Why do you force me to take such actions? Does it make you feel better to know that I have to torture another innocent just to make the might Tommy Oliver admit defeat?" He turned to Silvo. "Bring them!"

With the Rangers in tow Minion teleported to Stone Henge. It was night there, the moon was high, offering the only illumination. For Minion the atmosphere created by the darkness would only add to their despair as he used magic to light selected areas of the ancient monument most notable a large stone altar he had erected.

"You refused to choose, so I chose for you," he told them, gesturing to the large stone where Rocky had been place, his arms and legs bound to the rock. He tossed a blaster in front of each of the Gem Coin Rangers. "I trust you remember the routine here. I count to six and then I kill your little friend, unless of course you shoot me first. I suggest you don't make me waste my efforts in repairing his previous injuries."

It had not taken much effort to repair the damage to Rocky's back, a tiny burst of magic had been sufficient to jump-start his Ranger healing. He hoped that seeing their friend in good health would make it even harder for them when he died.

He summoned the Sword of Ragnarok and pulled his smaller dagger from its hiding place. As he started to count it occurred to him that this time the Rangers didn't appear scared. If anything they appeared determined. Still, it was too late to reconsider.

"One..." He watched as the Rangers showed little sign of moving.

"Two..." Adam twitched, a slight movement that seem insignificant.

"Three..." Adam's movement was shown as he shifted his weight and fired. The other Rangers joined in, their shots targeted directly for his head and chest.

"No more deaths," Trey said coldly as he levelled his blaster and fired again.

Had Minion been an honourable creature he would have been dead. Fortunately for him his word meant nothing and while freely given, he had shown time and again that he would break his promise at a moment's notice. Just before the energy bolts reached him, a dome of Viventallum appeared, absorbing the shots before disappearing back into the ground.

"I had hoped for more," he said dismissively. The dome disappeared, replaced by WD Units that gripped the Rangers' arms and held them in place as Minion moved to the stone.

"Not this time!" Tommy growled. "Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

His Gem Coin Transformer had been lost, destroyed by Minion within hours of their captivity. Yet somehow Tommy managed to draw on the Power once more, shaping it with his will to form his uniform and Gem Coin Blaster, which he rapidly aimed and fired.

The others followed suit, calling on their powers, much to Minion's dismay. Trey concentrated on the Golden Power Staff and was relieved when it appeared in his waiting hand.

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!" As soon as she had transformed, she blasted the bonds holding Rocky, Allowing him to join the action. If they were going to die, they would go down fighting

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!" He didn't know what his friends had been through. He wasn't even aware of what had happened to Travis. He was just fighting to stop Minion.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Gold Ranger Power!" Trey called. He was doing this for Travis. The death had had a deep effect on him, but now was not the time to break down. He was probably the one who realised that they would all need a lot of help was it was all over.

Minion couldn't believe they were fighting back. They were not supposed to be able to fight back. They had been weakened, humiliated and tortured beyond compare. So why did they keep coming back?

Once again the Rangers were acting as a team and overcoming the odds in order to fight him. Despite their exhaustion their anger drove them onward. They seemed immune to his powers as they attacked with both their Gem Coin Blasters and their swords. Realising he was losing and suffering from the pain in his head, Minion was growing desperate.

"Silvo, Bronzo, WD Units, destroy them."

The henchmen attacked as Minion tried to gain control over the pain. The Rangers were free, their friends had returned and if he didn't do something the Earth would soon be saved from his invading forces. He cried out as that last thought sent a wave of agony through his body. His sanity, questionable to begin with, seemed to take a holiday as he was transformed into the unicorn-horned wolf-headed armour that he had worn when claiming the Sword of Ragnarok.

Yes, the sword, it was time to reveal that weapon's greatest and final power. When he was done, the Rangers would never challenge him again. A flash of light signalled the arrival of Jason and the others, but his concentration was elsewhere as he teleported once again, this time to Angel Grove Park.

* * *

When Alpha had detected the sudden surge of energy, the Rangers had been astounded to see their allies fighting back against Minion. They had teleported immediately, ready to help them as necessary. As they arrived, Minion had retreated, robbing them of the chance to destroy him. But with Silvo, Bronzo and the WD Units on the scene the battle was far from over.

"Billy, do it!" Red Ranger instructed as he summoned the Power Sword and charged into battle.

Blue Ranger produced a small ball of glass and threw it at the Viventallum-based warriors. The glass exploded, covering those involved in the battle with red dust that ate away the protective oxide layer and left behind the exposed and potentially brittle Viventallum. Drawing his Blade Blaster he fired three shots and put his first WD Unit down. That was the signal for the others to become involved.

"Hit three dots and they're deactivated," Zack told the Gem Coin Rangers.

With that the battle was joined.

Jason and Tommy found themselves facing Silvo, the more powerful machine having designated the Red Rangers as the most important targets. The red gas had affected Silvo just as it had the WD Units, meaning that once they hit three of the exposed weak points, he too would shut down.

Tommy selected a flame pellet, which exploded on impact and no matter how Silvo tried, it could not be extinguished. Meanwhile Jason's Power Sword kept the Viventallum warrior from fighting back. He tossed Tommy his Blade Blaster and ducked as the Red Gem Coin Ranger fired.

* * *

Bronzo was a coward, there was no denying that fact since it was an essential part of his personality program. So when it appeared that the Rangers had the upper hand, he had wisely chosen to duck out of the conflict. But before he did so he had ensured that he had a reason to retreat and collected a sample of the dust. Then he would develop a counter measure and the Rangers' new attack would prove useless.

He teleported back to Minion's island and was surprised to find that his master had gone to Angel Grove instead. However there was someone on the island, an unwelcome guest in the cellblock.

Figuring he could handle one intruder, Bronzo summoned the island's remaining WD Units to assist him and set off to seize the trespasser.

* * *

The Master was frustrated. The puzzle was a complex mathematical structure, but at times it seemed as if it made itself more difficult for him to solve. The first face had been simple, but the fourth was causing him serious problems. There was another way to reach the other side of the doorway that the box represented, and that was to force Minion to continue with his suicidal scheme. And the way to do that was to tip the odds in the Rangers' favour.

"I have a proposition for you," he stated, not bothering to introduce himself. "I can restore you, all of you - well most of you," even he couldn't help the dead or the seriously injured, "if you agree to fight Minion and his forces."

They nodded, some eagerly while others had to force themselves to acknowledge his offer. Upon their agreement they were bathed in pink light as their bodies were healed. At first he had wanted to reverse the damage, but healing it proved a less stressful approach.

He was finished just in time as Bronzo entered to find a collection of angry super heroes all itching for a fight.

"Let's do this," Batman growled. The revitalised JLA charged forward, Flash leading the way with his freshly regenerated legs.

The Master laughed as he watched them go. Soon they would discover that there was no quick fix for the injuries they had suffered. The Flash's legs, like Green Lantern's hands were gone, the replacements the Master had provided were temporary at best, but would last long enough to put pressure on Minion.

"Titans go!" Robin cried. This was the first time they had a crack at Minion's forces.

"Beetle Bonders, Beetle Blast!" Jo, Roland and Drew called.

"Ectophase Activate!" Jesse yelled.

"Trooper Transform!" JB, Ryan and Kaitlyn called. Servo was on his feet, his circuit damage repaired.

"Avengers Assemble!" Captain America bellowed, leading his team ready for the attack.

The other prisoners stayed back, their willingness to fight diminished by their ordeal. Minion it seemed had managed to break some of Earth's heroes.

Hawk Girl's mace crackled with energy as she slammed it into the nearest WD Unit. While she chose to take them down one or two at a time, the Flash raced around the machines, creating a vortex that threw them into the air. Green Lantern generated a scythe that he used to slice his way through the opposition. Woman Woman's lasso turned one of the WD Units into a spinning weapon.

Starfire had learnt early on that her powers could not harm the Viventallum-based warriors directly. However that did not stop her from aiming at the surrounding area and using the environment to damage the machines. Changling changed rapidly between oversized rhinoceros and a large bird capable of lifting the machines into the air. Cyborg with his repaired body used his sonic blasts to scatter the WD Units out, making them easier targets. With his staff at the ready, Robin pitched the WD Units into Changling's path.

Batman found himself in a bad position as two WD Units had transformed their hands into axes and were attempting to cleave him in two. An electrified Batarang took care of one unit and he managed to use one of its axes against the second. The third however had aimed for his back.

"Not so fast, chrome dome," Spider-Man drawled as he threw a ball of impact webbing at the machine. "Try a little web in the eye."

The web slinging hero tied the machine's feet together and with a little help from Batman, it toppled over.

Henry Pym pressed a button on his wrist, injecting himself with a growth chemical. When Lord Zedd had first attacked the Earth, one of his bombs had failed to explode. Henry had taken the container, analysed its contents and then found a way to alter the effects to allow the subject to either increase or decrease in size. Although it worked as a gas, he preferred to use it as a potion injected into his arm. The result was that Pym could grow through the use of a potion, transforming himself into the ten-foot tall Goliath. Although he could grow taller, he needed all his strength for the fighting.

Janet Pym refrained from using her variant of Dr Pym's formula. She did however activate her bio-electric generator, creating a field of energy that allowed her to produce wings and emit a powerful sting effect. Although ineffective against WD Units and less potent when she was human size, she managed to get the robots' attention.

Then they attacked together. She switched between sizes and acted as a distraction while his greater strength and size allowed him to smash his way through the robots.

Iron Man drove a fist into one WD Unit's head, breaking both the robot's skull and his hand in the process. The energy emitters in his gauntlets cut through the machines' outer shells. Tony was feeling vengeful, knowing that for all those prisoners who had broken free, there were others who were in dire straits on other parts of the island.

"Watch your back, big shot," Hawkeye warned as one of his acid-filled arrows pierced the chest of a WD Unit that had been sneaking up on the Avengers' paymaster.

As the two hardheaded heroes bantered back and forth, they layed waste to any robots that dared to cross their path. Vision and the Martian Manhunter had formed a different sort of partnership, phasing through the WD Units, shorting their circuitry as they went. Then as Vision altered his density to that of hard diamond, J'Onn used his impressive strength to leave a hole in one of the Viventallum unit's chest.

Captain America, first generation super soldier and, if the government could actually prove his origin, wanted fugitive, threw his mighty shield. The Adamantium disk didn't cut into the Viventallum, but the weight of the spinning shield helped to clear a path in much the same way that Robin had done.

"Lightning Fist Command!" Servo called, energising the plasma cells in his hand. His punches left holes in any WD Units he touched. And this time there was no surprise villain to attack him from behind.

Blue Trooper summoned his sword and attacked Bronzo. Blue Beetleborg was hot on his heels. Together the two warriors pressed in on the leader of Minion's forces.

"Laser Ray!" White Trooper snapped. She fired off as many shots as possible, covering JB as he shifted into position.

Green and Red Beetleborg were helping by forcing the WD Units into range, using their weapons to cause as much damage as possible.

"VR Techno Bazooka!" JB called.

He fired off a shot, which ripped through the WD Units. He and White Trooper joined Red and Green Beetleborg and their Masked Rider comrade to destroy the rest of the machines.

"Stinger Drill!" Blue Beetleborg bellowed as he and Blue Trooper finished Bronzo, ending the battle.

"Skybase Command!" JB called. It was time to get out of there.

The assorted heroes were transferred to the ship and relative safety.

"Professor?"

"I'm online Ryan, it is good to see the four of you are safe."

"We need a trace on Minion," Servo stated. The professor complied. Then they set course for Angel Grove and a final showdown with Minion.

* * *

Minion could sense the odds were against him. Somehow Silvo and Bronzo had fallen and from what he could tell, most of his Viventallum Troops had either been deactivated by the Rangers or buried when the VR Troopers had destroyed his beloved island.

"It doesn't matter," he tried to convince himself. "Nothing matters, this is the end of the Power Rangers, the end of all this silly resistance. I hope you survived Tommy-boy because everything you value is about to come to an end."

**To be continued **


	33. The Final Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. Parts of the action and dialogue from Jeremy Ray's Earth Crystal story were used in this chapter.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

The Final Battle

Minion was on the brink of a mental breakdown. The Rangers had taken everything from him; his sanity, his life, his freedom and now it seemed that they had robbed him of his prisoners. He had vanished after the Morphin Rangers had shown up to save their friends and had returned to his island. He was relieved to find that the assembled heroes had not torn his base apart. To make sure, he had raised a magical barrier to prevent any more intrusions.

He was in constant agony. The pain, which he realised was a result of a microchip inserted next to his pain receptors was unending. So long as he was fighting the Rangers and winning the pain was subdued. However the moment it appeared that he was losing the battle and as a result the pain chip started stimulating his pain receptors.

"Silvo, Brasso, Bronzo!" he called. There was no response. The Rangers and their pesky friends had destroyed his servants. It seemed his WD Units were gone too, leaving him without even the most basic foot soldiers.

He was reaching the point where most villains accepted that they could not defeat the Rangers and committed themselves to sending down second-rate monsters in the hope of one day being successful. He had tried the direct approach; he had tried to use the Elemental Beasts and had even pressed his attack at the first sign of a weakness. In the end though he had failed to emerge victorious.

But Minion was different. He believed himself superior to all who opposed him and even if he could not express those thoughts of superiority in the way that he wanted to, he was incapable of settling for the mediocre existence of a failed villain. So how would he prove himself different? Simple, he would do to the Morphin Rangers what he had done to the Zeo Rangers. He would break them in the same way and then continue with the plan. And that meant the first step was to draw them out.

"The Rangers and their friends will not stop me," he mused out loud.

The Heroes of Earth had an annoying habit of disrupting his plans despite having better things to do, such as rebuilding their bases of operation. He almost wished he could revive some of the old Earth-based villains to help him, but that was not a possibility. ~Nor,~ he thought, ~would it be a wise idea to give others an opportunity to interfere.~

"Hello Minion," the Master said as he emerged from somewhere, disrupting the villain's plans.

"You!" Minion snarled angrily. "You told me the Sword of Ragnarok would provide me with victory."

"And so it shall my dear fellow, you just need to know how to use it," the Master said softly, placating the volatile villain. He pulled out a small device, a dimensional disruptor he called it; when activated the device emitted energy on a wavelength known to disrupt the fabric between this universe and what lies beyond, collapsing local space in the process. "Just fuse this with the sword and you will find that it truly lives up to its name."

The device was unstable, artificial entropy in a crystalline structure. When used on a small scale it could drop a city into the sea. When amplified through an universal energy field such as the Morphin Grid, its reach was unlimited. The Sword of Ragnarok with its ability to pierce the dimensional fabric and physically connect to the Morphin Grid was the perfect tool for such a purpose. For Minion it would represent victory, but for the Master who had the means to counter the effects, it was a way of disposing of Minion.

When he left, the device had been fitted to the Sword of Ragnarok and the Master had a confident smile upon his face.

* * *

JLA Watchtower, Coast City USA

Long ago when the JLA had been founded, it had been suggested that they position their headquarters in space. International tensions and a flat refusal on the part of Wonder Woman, despite Bruce Wayne's funding, had put an end to that suggestion. Instead the Watchtower had been erected in the home city of the original Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Shaped like a lighthouse to bring hope to the world, the tower had withstood countless disasters, even the destruction of the city it overlooked.

Today it was a mess, a reminder of how badly they had fared against Minion and his forces. The light, once a beacon of hope and an answer to the prayers of the innocent had been extinguished. And even John's half-hearted attempt to imitate the beacon with his ring had failed.

"Home sweet home," Wally joked again, trying to lighten the mood. It was a poor attempt and probably attributable to the pain medication he had been forced to take for phantom pains in his legs. It seemed that while some injuries were repairable, others were not.

John watched his teammate and felt a pang of sympathy. True he and Wally didn't always see eye to eye, but they were united in their loss. His hands had reappeared, just like Wally's legs and he felt the pain from where Minion had cut them off, just as he knew Wally suffered. But it seemed that the cursed ring that he had been forced to carry refused to let him go just because he was hurting.

What would they do now, what could they do when the moment they had been released from the VR Troopers' ship, the JLA had split up? John could understand it to some extent, they all needed time and a chance to ensure their loved ones were safe before returning to deal with a situation that grew more and more dangerous by the moment.

J'Onn and Hawk Girl looked out over the battered city. They could see the damage, could sense the hurt that Minion had caused. They knew that despite their hopes to the contrary, Minion was still out there and needed to be dealt with. It could be denied that despite all he had done to them and the fact they had barely escaped with their lives, they would have to face the villain again. The only problem was that some of them were in no condition to fight.

* * *

"Wow," Zack whistled.

It was amazing how quickly Alpha had been able to work seeing how he lacked a suitable body and was forced to act by the electronic possession of low technology service droids. Still with the little machine in charge the repair process was well and truly underway.

Normally the Rangers would have expressed their amazement at just how much Alpha had accomplished, but at that moment there was an uneasy silence in the Power Chamber where the Zeo Rangers had made a startling if understandable decision.

"We're leaving," Tommy said. He spoke not only for himself, but the whole of his team. ~Or what's left of them.~

"Tommy, it wasn't your fault," Kimberly said, trying to be the voice of reason.

"She's right man," Jason agreed. "You shouldn't give up. I know what Minion did hurt you, but we need you. He's still out there and the Earth is still in danger. We need your help to stop him."

Billy and Trini remained silent. They had feared that at least one of the Zeo Rangers would react this way when they learnt of the abuse Minion had forced their friends to endure. In all their time as Rangers his pupils had rarely lost and almost always fought back. But this was different. Minion had not only defeated them; he had done so several times in a matter of weeks. Then he had tortured all of them, some worse than others.

Billy had no doubt though that it was Travis's death that hurt the most. The acting Blue Zeo Ranger had not been subjected to physical pain, but had been broken by watching his fellow Rangers endure everything that Minion had done to them. And then Minion had reversed the stakes and forces the Zeo Rangers to watch as he ended Travis's existence.

Adam was in the worse state emotionally. He had been the one who had come closest to saving Travis, but his movement had been too late and his aim had been affected by his injuries. His miss had cost them all the life of a comrade and as a result the naturally shy boy had withdrawn from everybody since they had arrived in the Power Chamber following their escape. He had yet to look any of the Rangers in the eye, definitely a bad sign and today, after being allowed to return to his home, he had been slow to respond to his communicator.

Billy wanted the Zeo Rangers to remain, they were his friends after all, but knew it had to be their choice. In an attempt to ensure that they at least considered their options he made a suggestion.

"Tommy, I know you and the others have been through a lot and agree that you need time away to consider your future involvement with the Power Rangers. I would suggest that before you go, you wait for Alpha to bring Zordon back or at least talk to Lita. Maybe they can help you put things in perspective."

It had been a good try, but the Rangers knew Tommy and the others were still too upset to be useful as Rangers. Tommy and the others knew it as well and had already decided their future.

"There is no need to surrender your powers," Billy told them as they were about to hand back the Zeo Transformers he had restored for them. "I suggest you take time to consider your future before giving up your powers. Should you wish to return or need us, the Power Chamber is always open to you."

"Thanks Billy," Tommy said as the Zeo Rangers left for their separate destinations, all of them determined to do some serious thinking.

"Well guys, I guess we have work to do," Jason said when the others had departed. "Minion's still out there and we need a plan."

* * *

Oliver Residence, Angel Grove

Tommy walked through the blood stained streets as he had every night since his time as Green Ranger. The dreams did not disturb him anymore because he understood they were formed partially by his guilt over what he had done under Rita's influence and partially by the spell Rita had used after he broke free. It was a spell he only felt while asleep, a spell that ensured he would never be able to forget what he had been.

Tonight the dream was different. At first Tommy had failed to notice the lack of bodies that usually covered the ground, but then he saw he was not dressed in the Green Ranger uniform he normally wore either. He was dressed as the Red Zeo Ranger and drenched in blood, his own blood!

"Ah, there you are Tommy," the unmistakable voice of Minion said. "I thought you might be missing some things so I brought them with me."

Holding his hand out Minion turned slowly, revealing the dead population of Angel Grove. At the top of the pile, impaled on thick wooden stakes were the other Power Rangers.

"You did this?" It was more of a comment than a question, Tommy already knew Minion was responsible.

"Affirmative," Minion said, starting to sound like Billy. "But I couldn't have succeeded without the help of the Zeo Rangers. If you had fought better and shot me when you had the chance, these people would still be alive. So you see Zeo Falcon, it is your fault that these people are dead, not mine. I didn't do this, YOU did because YOU failed."

Tommy's powers started to fade as Minion's words hit home. Confidence was one of the things a Ranger needed and right now Tommy's confidence was shattered.

"You let everyone down Tommy," the dead body of Trini said.

"We had faith in you Bro," Jason's scarred and bloodied corpse said. "Look where that got us."

"You could have saved me but you didn't have the courage," a younger voice said. Tommy recognised the voice, but hoped it was not true. From out of the thinning mist stepped a boy Tommy recognised as Fred Kellman. His neck was broken, causing his head to hang at an awkward angle. Minion smiled at the younger boy and placed an arm over his shoulder. "I don't want to be a Ranger anymore, I have a new hero now."

"Nooooooo!" Tommy cried as he saw Fred transform to become a smaller version of Minion.

"You did it Tommy," the corpse of the Ranger known as Kimberly said. "Rita made you the Green Ranger to destroy us and as the Red Ranger you succeeded."

The scene changed and Tommy found himself inside the original Command Center. The normally comforting Alpha Five scurried away as Tommy arrived, leaving him face to face with Zordon.

"Thomas Oliver, you have failed the people of your world, failed to protect your team of Rangers and failed to earn the trust I had in you. You have injured many with your antics as Green Ranger, you put the team constantly at risk with your failing powers and you have proven that you cannot defend the Earth. I have tried to help you, but even though you have had more sets of powers than any other Ranger, you have still failed time after time."

Zordon stepped from his plasma tube, but Tommy could still not see his body. In his hand was the Sword of Light, which he pointed at Tommy's chest.

"Thomas Tyler Oliver, I hereby strip you of any and all powers that you hold be they past, future or present. Never again will you be allowed to squander and abuse either the Morphin Grid or the Zeo Crystal. It is to ensure the safety of everybody that I now take you life."

The Sword of Light pierced Tommy's heart. He did not even have the chance to scream as he collapsed to the floor. He looked up, using the last of strength to see his killer.

"The world is better off without you, Tommy," Zordon said. "Never forget that."

* * *

"NO!" Tommy cried a second time, sitting bolt upright in bed. He looked down at his chest and was surprised to find it covered in blood. A small puncture wound had reopened, probably from where Minion had beaten him. Knowing he would not be able to get back to sleep Tommy walked downstairs to the family room and sat on the sofa.

It was then that he noticed he was still shaking. Whatever that dream had been it, had been too real. He heard the sounds of somebody coming downstairs. Two people in fact.

"Tommy?" his mother asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

Tommy was still shaking too much to answer the question. His mother stopped, wondering what could have happened to cause her son to act like a scared rabbit.

"It - it's okay, Mom. Just a nightmare," he managed at last. He tried to force a smile, but none was forthcoming.

"Are you sure?" his father asked. He had never seen Tommy like this before. Sure in the time since moving to Angel Grove Tommy had nightmares. But nothing had ever shaken him like this.

Tommy nodded, unable to speak further. Everything the Zordon in his dream had said was true.

~They're better off without me,~ he thought. ~I'm a liability.~

He had committed terrible crimes during his time as Green Ranger. He had worked for Rita and caused destruction throughout the city. He had been lucky not to kill somebody during his first use of the Dragonzord. He hadn't cared about the buildings Dragonzord had damaged. All that mattered was the will of his empress. Then he had captured Jason and almost killed him. It had taken all his will power to keep from murdering the Red Ranger.

~But I did resist,~ he thought. The words offered little comfort. Had he captured Jason a day later he would have killed him without a second thought.

Then Jason had released him from Rita's spell and given him the chance to make amends. He had become the Green Ranger under Jason's command as a way to make up for what he had done. But he couldn't even do that right. He had allowed Rita to light the Green Candle and steal his powers.

Instead of crawling away and hiding under a rock, Tommy had stayed on in Angel Grove and agreed to help the Rangers, thus regaining his powers. But now they were temporary and he put the team at risk every time he went into battle. Too stubborn to give up and let Jason take the powers he had squandered the remaining power and then run away.

Zordon had trusted him to become White Ranger and leader of the Power Rangers. ~But did he do it because I was a worthy candidate or because he was desperate and couldn't find a decent White Ranger?~

Tommy's stubbornness had led to the loss of the Thunderzords. The powers that could not be taken by evil were destroyed just because he refused to listen to reason. If it had not been for Ninjor, Earth would have been finished. Even with Ninja powers Tommy had failed to stop Rito from destroying the Power Coins. ~Another set of powers lost because I failed to protect the coins.~

As Red Zeo Ranger he had allowed Gasket to take control of his mind. He had led the Ranger into battle against Minion and caused the Zeo Crystal to be destroyed. If not for his failed leadership and blind faith in his friends, the fake Billy would not have been able to betray them. ~Jason would not have been deceived.~

And recently, with millions of people watching, he had failed to help Travis. The Triforian had perished and Tommy had done nothing. Once again his failure had cost somebody their life.

Tommy had lost count of the number of people who had died during a monster attack either because of the damage caused when the monster grew, or the innocent who was crushed when something fell on top of them. He had been to Angels Rest and had counted the number of people killed after he became a Ranger. He knew only a few of them by name - Fred Kellman had been a kid in his classes - and a few on sight, but the rest were faceless strangers he had let down.

~Maybe they would be better off without me,~ Tommy thought.

His Zeo Transformer appeared and he considered whether to simply send it back to the Power Chamber and let them select a new Red Ranger. He had no doubt the Rangers would need the Zeo powers again in the future, unless the Zeo Crystal could be repaired. Tempting as it was to walk away, part of him just couldn't let go. With a sigh he sent the device back to where he had summoned it from, unaware that he was being watched.

* * *

Sam teleported away unseen, he knew Tommy would work things out, but he was determined to be there when Tommy felt like talking. Using his magic he cast a spell to force Tommy back to sleep and then teleported away.

* * *

Rocky lay back on his bed, trying to work through his feelings of the recent events. He felt as guilty about Travis as the others, but for a different reason. Had he fought harder or better there was a chance he would have been there instead of Travis; the Triforian had been picking up his slack. And then as a real kick in the teeth, while Travis had been killed, he had been healed. Perhaps if he had been left with a broken back he would have felt better about himself.

He should have been able to fight Minion in some way instead of lying in a bed like an idiot while his family had gathered around and brought him presents. Oh his recovery had amazed his mother, just as his sudden depression had raised a number of eyebrows. The Earth needed the Blue Zeo Ranger even if he were using the makeshift Zeo powers, of that he had no doubt. The question in his mind was, did the Zeo Rangers need Rocky DeSantos?

He needed somewhere he could go, a place where he could shout if he wanted to without attracting the attention of his siblings or his mother. One place seemed to be perfect, the family cabin. The place had been abandoned since his father's death and was only visited by Rocky and his older brother Pedro. In a flash of blue light he teleported from his room to a storage area under the cabin.

The room was large enough to hold a small gymnasium. In the corner was a set of weights and a mat on which to practice. In the center of the room was a punching bag, perfect for what he had in mind.

Starting slowly with a few gentle kicks, Rocky allowed his anger to be released under control. He kicked the bag repeatedly until it finally split open and fell to the ground. Now he was starting to feel better Rocky was determined to work through his feelings.

He walked over to a set of old chairs the family had been meaning to burn. He laid into the furniture, reducing it to a pile of splinters. Then he moved on through tables, chairs and even the walls in places. It didn't matter. Everything in the storage room was surplus to requirements. He tried as hard as he could to find a reason to remain a Zeo Ranger, but he couldn't think of anything that he had left to bring to the team.

~Perhaps it is time to hand over to someone else.~

He continued his frantic workout, growing ever more emotional by the second. In his mind he knew that surrendering now would prove he was a coward.

In his mind he could imagine what his father would say if he could see him now. "You make one little mistake and then run away. No wonder you couldn't save Travis. You're a coward, a weak-minded fool and everybody knows it. Adam has no faith in you. He couldn't even look you in the eye. You can't quit and you can't stay. You're hopeless."

As he finished his workout, Rocky sank to his knees, his eyes filled with tears. He had let them all down. Everybody that had had any faith in him had been let down by his actions. He tried to dry his eyes, but the tears kept coming. The last few days had finally caught up with him and no amount of exercise could prevent the inevitable breakdown.

It was then that he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He looked around to see Jason looking down at him. He knew he could not hide the tears from the Red Ranger, but the look on Jason's face told him he didn't need to.

"We need to talk," Jason said.

Gently but firmly the Red Ranger helped his friend back to his feet. He had known that the Zeo Rangers would separate and try to sort things on their own. He had also known that they would find the events of the last few days difficult to deal with. So he had instructed his team of Rangers to make themselves available should the others need them.

David and Sam would be there for Tommy if he needed them. Kimberly and Trini were there for Kat, Billy had gone to see Adam, Aisha was with Tanya and her aunt in Kenya and Zack had gone to Pyramidas to check on Trey. Somehow Jason did not see the Black Ranger being able to get through to the Gold Zeo Ranger, but Zack had taken the recovering Dex with him and Jason hoped that would be enough.

They had found their new powers and had completed the quest for the Great Power, an accomplishment that only a few could boast, but Minion was still out there and until he was finally destroyed, their quest was worthless. While he was still capable of causing damage there was no point in trying to fix the damage. And as strong as their new powers seemed to be, Jason felt confident that in the end it would take all they had to achieve victory. ~Damn, I'm starting to think like Billy.~

He had tracked Rocky down to the house and had intended to refrain from interfering, but having seen the state that Rocky was in, he decided otherwise.

* * *

Ko's Garden, Near Angel Grove Park.

Adam sat alone in the garden, happy for the seclusion. He knew none of the other Rangers would think to look for him there, except maybe Billy. Not that he expected any of the Rangers to want to talk to him, especially the other Zeo Rangers. He had watched them as Minion had tortured them. He had seen every blow the WD Unit had inflicted on Tommy, he had heard Trey scream in agony when he had grown too exhausted to pedal. And what had they done to him? They had tickled him.

Oh sure there had been more to the Twitcher than just a feather on the end of a stick. The electrical current could be targeted on any muscle and would cause it to twitch uncontrollably. It was a continuous and unstoppable twitching that slowly went from being annoying to painful and then, maddening.

He couldn't even bring himself to look Rocky in the eye. The other teen had been hospitalised by Minion, only to be dragged back into danger because Adam had not been brave enough to sacrifice his life. The Blue Ranger had almost been killed and despite the knowledge that he had done something that time, Adam still felt he should have done more.

His dad had always said the Power Rangers caused more problems than they solved. Adam was starting to agree with him.

"Power Coin for you thoughts," a voice said.

Adam turned around, recognising the voice as Billy. He wondered how the Blue Ranger had known where to find him, but soon suppressed the thought. Knowing Billy as well as he did, he suspected the Blue Ranger had simply visited anywhere the Green Zeo Ranger would go for solitude.

"I don't think they're worth it," Adam replied.

Billy didn't say anything, knowing that if he pushed his shy friend too hard he would simply withdraw further into himself. In addition Billy was not sure if he wanted to talk about Minion. The idea that the enemy who had almost killed his friends was his clone was not something Billy found easy to deal with. Seriously, how many times did they have to defeat him before the villain finally stayed dead? He was starting to think there was something else keeping the villain in the Mortal Realm.

It was even more difficult for Billy to accept that Minion was really his clone because of Cestria. Minion had been responsible for her death and the death of the Aquitian Rangers. Minion had cost him his home and his friends.

They continued sitting and waiting, long into the night.

* * *

In a lone column of yellow light Aisha arrived in her own village. She made her way to where she knew her aunt would be and walked in.

"Ashala?" she asked nervously, not sure if her aunt would remember her after ten years.

"Aisha!" the older woman cried happily as she greeted her niece. "Why are you here? Have you returned to us? Is the danger over... no, something else then, what is it child?"

"It's about Tanya," Aisha told her.

She quickly explained the events of the last few days and the events in the Power Chamber. Ashala nodded, her expression turned grave as Aisha explained the humiliation Minion had inflicted. Finally she agreed to let Aisha talk to Tanya and pointed to the outcrop not far away where she knew Tanya would be sitting.

Aisha found Tanya sitting where Ashala had said, her head in her hands looking out over the land below. She hardly acknowledged Aisha's presence as the other girl sat next to her and placed a hand on her shoulders.

Tanya was feeling a mixture of emotions. She felt guilty that she had been unable to help Travis, she knew that was down to fear as much as her own injuries. The reason did little to eliminate the guilt she was feeling, but she knew there was little point in letting the guilt eat away at her. She had failed, but it would never happen again. The strongest feeling she had at the moment was a feeling of isolation. She was no longer a part of a team she loved, Minion's most heinous act had been to shatter their bonds and he had been doing so since the day he had first appeared. That hurt more than anything did.

She missed Adam and Rocky, but knew if they had Aisha back they no longer needed her. The three of them had been friends for years before Tanya had arrived and the teen knew that they would welcome their old friend back with open arms. Where then did that leave her, Aisha's replacement?

Like the others she had been tempted to give up her Zeonisers, but she knew that was all that was tying her to the Rangers. If she gave them up, what was left?

* * *

Kat had decided there was no point in leaving the Power Chamber. Sooner or later the other Rangers would track her down and then she would have to talk to them. She was especially worried in case she ran into Kim again. Although Kimberly had broken up with Tommy and the couple had since made their peace, Kat had always felt a little guilty about attempting to date him.

It had taken a while, but eventually Kat had started to feel the attraction fade. She soon understood that what she felt for Tommy had been love, but not the type on which they could build a lasting relationship. At the time she had first met him she was under Rita's spell. She had been attracted to the darker side of Tommy.

After she had broken the spell, the side effects had taken a while to fade. Then Tommy had received the letter and had looked so hurt she had felt drawn to him again. Only recently had she seriously started to think twice about Tommy. The appearance of David had prompted her to question whether her feelings were real. Seeing someone so like Tommy and yet so different had opened her eyes.

She had intended to sort her feelings for him later, but the fight with Minion had gotten in the way. Now everything had changed again.

She reached over to the light and turned it on. She flinched as she felt the change in heat created by the bulb. Despite her wounds being healed her nerves had been left extremely sensitive to outside stimuli. That had been why she had been unable to help Travis. Even though she had tried to help, every move was so painful she had been unable to pull the trigger.

She had been helpless, nothing more than a victim of evil as she was when Rita had controlled her. ~But when I was with Rita, I broke the spell,~ she thought. ~Why couldn't I have found the strength to pull the trigger?~

The answer was simple and she knew it. When Rita had controlled her, she had simply had to fight against the spell. But with Minion she had not been under a spell, she had been convinced that movement was too painful. Her mind was stronger than any spell and when used against her it was a powerful weapon.

"Kat?"

Kat looked up as somebody entered the room. In front of her, wearing a pair of white jeans and white T-shirt was David Trueheart, Tommy's brother and the newest member of the Power Rangers.

"Are you okay?" he asked sitting down next to her.

Kat smiled weakly. She had liked David for a long time. He was a good friend and she had always been able to open up to him. He looked so much like Tommy, but was totally different emotionally. Whereas Tommy had a dark side to his nature, David had a lighter character.

Kimberly and Trini had watched over Kat for a while and then decided she needed to talk to someone else. And from the looks of things the female Rangers had the right idea as slowly she started to open up, telling him everything she was feeling. In return David did not judge or comment; he simply listened as the Pink Zeo Ranger poured her heart out.

* * *

The Power Chamber

Two Days Later

"Ai-yi-yi, this is so exciting," Alpha exclaimed as his head was finally lowered onto his new body, the interlocks on the nick clicking into place and the wiring made contact.

"Borrowing some of Doctor Pym's technology to speed up the repairs was a good idea," Trini commented.

Billy and Jason nodded. The Avengers had already used their technology to restore their headquarters at Mount Rushmore and had loaned some of their more useful devices to the other heroes. In a time of war repairs were essential. Billy had even suggested unleashing the small robots on the Zeo Crystal to correct the flaws in its damaged structure. That idea had been put on hold while the computer double-checked his calculations.

"And now the Power Chamber is back, maybe we can bring Zordon back online," Zack said.

"I can't wait," Kimberly said.

The others nodded. They needed their mentor back, maybe he could make the Zeo Rangers see sense.

"Alpha, start the probe," Jason instructed.

"Co-ordinates locked in Rangers, contact has been made, awaiting response."

"All we can do now is wait," Billy told them.

* * *

Somewhere.

"The time has come, the end of the Power Rangers is nigh!" Minion exclaimed, enjoying the opportunity to sound dramatic.

He had finally decided on how he was going to draw them out. It was a simple and well-tested method of sending a few monsters to distract them before making his appearance. Then he planned to crush the meddling teenagers and prove that the Earth was without hope.

~I wonder how they will die,~ he mused. ~Will they go slowly or will I be lucky and slaughter them in a few minutes?~ He shrugged. ~Oh well, either is fine.~

There were a few steps he would need to take before he could begin, first he needed a means of bringing monsters out of the Dark Dimension. Fortunately the bodies from his early attacks had yet to be cleared away as local governments took time to clean up. He used one of those corpses to bring his loyal servant Arcana back to life; as a dark wizard who was familiar with death magic, he was able to possess an animated corpse.

"Arcana, mighty wizard and servant of darkness, I command you, appeared."

He watched as the selected corpse mutated to fit its new owner's requirements.

"I want you to bring forth three monsters," he said. "Use your own conduit, but make it fast."

"Yes Minion," Arcana slurred.

Producing a knife he sliced his arm, allowing the thick oozing blood to fall on the ground. When Minion examined it closely he was surprised to discover that it was the same slime Arcana had used to produce his duplicate of Billy.

"Arise my duplicates and take form. Eye Guy, Syren, King Sphinx, come forth and avenge your defeats."

* * *

Power Chamber

A small buzzer sounded, warning of an incoming message. Alpha excitedly moved to the correct console and activated the restored Plasma Tube.

"Ai-yi-yi, welcome back Zordon."

The tube bubbled and then Zordon's head appeared, looking around the restored Power Chamber in amazement.

"Thank you, Alpha, it is good to see that you are intact. Now tell me, what has occurred in my absence?"

Alpha explained all that had happened, from the Rangers' successful return from Phaedos, something that pleased Zordon immensely, to the Zeo Rangers' defeat and subsequent treatment by Minion. He explained how the Rangers had returned from Phaedos and plugged him into the computer, allowing him to supervise the repairs.

Zordon was surprised by what he had heard. The Zeo Rangers had faced so much and yet they had not given up entirely. That they had made allies in the process was another surprise. While the Rangers had had a working relationship with the JLA and the Avengers in the past, they had had little contact with the VR Troopers and Beetleborgs. ~Perhaps some good will come of this,~ he mused. ~Earth has never had more protection than it does now.~

A new alarm sounded, warning that an attack was underway and reminding those present that Minion was still out there and there was still work to be done.

"Contact Jason and his team," Zordon instructed.

"What about Tommy?" Alpha asked.

"The Zeo Rangers need time to come to terms with all that has happened. We will not call them unless necessary."

Alpha nodded reluctantly and set about pushing the relevant buttons.

* * *

The eight Morphin Rangers had agreed to meet at the Youth Center. It was a chance to relax and discuss their concerns for their friends. They were in the middle of consuming their orders when their alarms sounded simultaneously. Ernie smiled a knowing smile to himself as he watched the teens run out of the door. ~So Jason and the others are back in the game,~ he thought. ~Good for them.~

* * *

Eight coloured streams of light streaked through the air high above Angel Grove. Just a very few seconds after leaving the Juice Bar, the teleportation beams entered the Power Chamber.

"Zordon!" Zack greeted.

"It's good to have you back Zordon," Jason smiled.

"Yeah, we missed you," Kimberly added.

"Thank you, Rangers and congratulations on the successful completion of your quest," Zordon rumbled. "I am afraid I did not call you here just to tell you that I have returned. Minion has unleashed three old monsters on Angel Grove."

"Are you sure it's Minion?" Trini asked. They had so many enemies now it was worth checking.

"I am afraid so," Zordon answered. "Behold the Viewing Screen."

"Talk about recycling," Kimberly said.

"These guys are old," Zack said. "But, we've beat them before."

"Yes, however I sense that they are made from a different material this time, which might alter their abilities."

"Divide and conquer," Jason decided. "Are the other Zords ready yet?"

"All the Zords are now complete," Alpha reported.

"Dragonzord, Titanus and Tor have been rebuilt to match your new Zords' technology," Zordon told them.

"I suggest we utilise our strengths and divide our attacks appropriately," Billy said.

"Exactly Billy," Zordon agreed. "You along with Jason, Kimberly, Zack and Trini shall pilot the Dino Megazord against Eye Guy. When you have defeated him, you will be able to help the others. Aisha and David can combine their Zords to form the Dino Stegazord. I suggest the two of you go after Syren. Sam will need to battle King Sphinx alone until you are ready to join him.

"It's Morphin Time!" Jason called.

"White Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Black Rangers Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

With an overwhelmingly loud crackle of electricity, the Rangers teleported out of the Power Chamber.

"Aye-yi-yi!" Alpha cried. "Good luck Rangers."

* * *

"There it is," Billy said.

"We have to be really careful," Kimberly said. "No matter where we're at, he can see us."

"Just remember his weakness," Trini said.

"His main eye," Billy agreed.

Eye Guy suddenly turned around so that his main eye was facing the five Rangers crouched down behind the hill.

"He's seen us!"

Who gave the warning was unclear as the ground around them started to explode.

"Attack!" Kimberly cried. With a resounding hi-ayah, the Rangers leapt into battle.

* * *

"Siek-yiah!" Sam cried. He suddenly appeared out of thin air and executed a perfect Power Kick at King Sphinx. Next he kicked him in the chin with his left foot before using a right-footed kick to the monster's chest to give him the momentum to back flip away. As the monster shook off the attack, Sam moved around so he was behind the monster. He leapt onto the shoulders of King Sphinx, dropped back and side kicked the monster in the back. King Sphinx was forced forward and tripped over. Sam ran up to the monster, grabbed it by the shoulders, and high-kicked it.

"You've made a fatal mistake," King Sphinx growled as two powerful wings unfolded from his back.

* * *

"She's pretty," David observed.

The pretty human looking monster with long pink hair and black dress, fishnet knee socks and carrying a small fan smiled shyly and waved at the young Ranger before blowing him a kiss.

"Men," Aisha muttered as she pushed her teammate out of the path of the exploding kiss. "First rule of dealing with pretty monsters, keep your brain in your head and not your pants. Get down!"

David looked at her, unsure why she was panicking, but did as she said as Syren was transformed, her beautiful body replaced by that of a scaly bird that breathed fire at the Rangers.

"That's her true form?" David asked.

"Remember your mythology," Aisha replied, "mermaids, sirens and veela, all beautiful until they fail. Then things get ugly."

"Anything else I should know?"

"Yeah she can..."

Aisha's words were drowned out by the high-pitched scream that echoed down the street, shattering windows as it did so.

"... shatter things with her voice," she finished lamely. "Follow my lead."

Aisha flipped over the monster and side-kicked her in the chest. Before it could react, the Purple Ranger dropped down to the ground and swept her left leg beneath the monster. With an inhuman shriek, Syren hit the ground, giving Aisha time to roll away.

"Hi-yah!" David cried, leaping into the air. He landed on top of the bird-headed monster just as she climbed to her feet. David grabbed hold of her shoulders and pulled her to the ground with him. Aisha cartwheeled over to Syren and kicked her off of David.

"Thanks," David said as she helped him to his feet.

"Not a problem," Aisha said.

She ran up to the monster, pushed off with her left leg, and high kicked it in the chest. She landed on both feet as Syren stumbled backwards. The pretty monster tried a new tactic, shifting appearance and winking at David seductively. To Aisha she whispered, "Prepare to die!"

* * *

"Power Bow!" Kimberly cried. She jumped into the air and fired two pink arrows at Eye Guy. The two arrows pierced an eye on each of Eye Guy's shoulders. He bellowed in pain and immediately clamped a heavy, eyelid over his main eye.

"Power Lance!" Billy shouted. Kimberly flipped out of the way as Billy ran past her. The Power Lance was held out before him like a ram. Just as the Power Lance was about to pierce the main eye, Eye Guy grabbed the weapon and flipped Billy over his head. "Whoa!" Billy cried. He let go of the Power Lance in midair and landed several feet away, in a painful pile.

"Billy!" Kimberly cried. She immediately ran to help her fallen comrade.

"Power Daggers!" Trini called, spinning the weapons in her hands. She rushed at Eye Guy, flipping into the air to position herself as s he slashed at the monster as s he passed overhead. Screaming in pain, Eye Guy tried to hit the Yellow Ranger, but Trini had learnt that speed was important in battle and made sure she was not there.

"Cosmic Cannon!" Zack shouted. He converted the Power Axe to its alternate mode. "You're goin' down, Eye Guy!" he taunted. He rolled to the left and then the right, allowing the monster to easily track his movements and wonder what he was up to. Then he stopped, bringing the weapon into position as he fired.

"NO!" Eye Guy screamed, both of his hands coming up to protect his center eye.

"You got his main eye!" Kimberly cried.

"I got his main eyelid," Zack corrected.

"More than I did," Billy said slowly, groggy from being slammed into the ground.

"Can you hit his main eye with an arrow, Kim?" Jason asked.

"One way to find out," Kimberly said, raising the Power Bow.

* * *

Sam tumbled backwards. King Sphinx's wings were flapping rapidly, and the Ranger was unable to roll away from his windstorm in time. "Dragon Sword!" he cried, reaching behind his back, unsheathing the Dragon Dagger and watching as it was magical altered into the larger blade. The sword grew in his grip with a flash of green light. Stabbing the blade into the street, he was able to lift himself to his feet.

"Try this for size!" he yelled, throwing the sword toward his opponent. However, the wind was pushing against it so hard, the sword barely moved.

"Okay, change of plan," the Green Ranger decided, snatching his sword back. "Dragon Fire!" From his hunched position against the wind, he dragged himself to the upright position, moving the sword in a slashing motion as he did so. The sword glowed green as he completed the move and a ball of fire shot out of the blade. It moved through the wind with the greatest of ease and struck King Sphinx in the chest. He stopped flapping his wings and hit the ground as Sam repeated the move. However, when the monster ducked, he leapt into the air and brought his blade down in a powered slice.

King Sphinx pulled a sword out of the air and blocked the blow. He kicked Sam and slashed at the Ranger with his sword. Sam let out a yelp as the sword caused his uniform to spark. With an angry bellow, King Sphinx punched Sam, sending him rolling.

"One more time then," Sam commented, drawing more power from the Grid and combining it with his own magic. "Siek-yah!" He unleashed the flaming ball, and watched as it made contact.

* * *

Aisha and David charged at Syren. While Aisha leapt into the air and attacked her with a knife-edge chop, David settled for a more ground-orientated assault. His Drago Sword was accurate and kept him at a safer distance than his teammate.

"Power Whip!" Aisha cried, selecting the more robust bullwhip for her attack. The whip coiled around the monster, holding her in place. "Electrify!" Aisha called and a large burst of electrical energy flowed along the length of the whip.

"Laser Arrows!" David called as he moved the Drago Sword in the appropriate motion. Six energy arrows formed, pointed just to the left of the bound monster. "Fire!"

At that moment Aisha jerked the whip, releasing the monster, but sending her spinning into David's attack. Syren screeched, folding her wings over her head to protect herself from the attack.

"Eeeeeeyaaaaaa!" Syren screamed. With a sudden burst of energy, she ran at the Purple Ranger, grabbed her, and threw her over her head.

Aisha screamed as she flew over the monster and into her partner, knocking him to the ground.

* * *

"Yes Arcana, this is perfect," Minion cried as he watched his monsters lose. They were doing exactly what he needed them to do and the whole area was resonated with magic. Soon he would find the desired point and then it would be the end of the Power Rangers. "Try this on for size Rangers," he snarled. He nodded at Arcana who threw three balls of dark energy into the air.

* * *

Kimberly let the arrow fly. Eye Guy attempted to cover his main eye up. Suddenly a ball of darkness sank into his body. With a triumphant bellow, Eye Guy shot straight up into the air, hundreds of feet tall. Kimberly's arrow hit his foot and bounced off.

"Oh no," Kimberly said.

"We're gonna have to go for the Megazord," Billy said.

"Let's do it," Jason said.

"Mastodon Dinozord Power!"

"Pterodactyl Dinozord Power!"

"Triceratops Dinozord Power!"

"Saber-toothed Dinozord Power!"

"Tyrannosaurus Dinozord Power!"

* * *

A brilliant flash of blue light exploded in the air above them. King Sphinx landed back on the ground, but he was no longer his normal six feet.

"Oh man," Sam muttered. "Time for Dragonzord!"

He lifted the magical blade, allowing the notes of the powerful flute to carry through the air.

* * *

"Guess we need the Zords," Aisha commented.

David gestured for her to go first and she gratefully accepted.

"Stegazord!" For some reason it sounded better than calling out Stegosaurus

"Raptor Zord!" Again the name had changed, but it seemed to fit.

* * *

From their assembled hiding places the Zords came. Had Power Mountain been as safe as they had once believed then they would have been held in the Zord Bays. Instead the Dinozords had been hidden somewhere close to where Titanus was known to reside. Hearing the call, the machines swiftly raced to meet their operators.

* * *

"Dinozords!" the eight Rangers shouted in perfect unison, despite the fact that the three battles were occurring miles apart. "Power up!" The Rangers jumped into the air and teleported into the cockpits of their Zords.

* * *

"Those are the Dinozords?" Kimberly asked. Part of her was impressed with the more robust and dynamic appearance of the Zords, another part was a little apprehensive of the remodelled machines.

"Affirmative," Billy told her as he watched the Triceratops charge towards him. "These Zords have been designed to fight individually as well as in Megazord mode."

That was true, the redesign had focussed on making the Pterodactyl and Triceratops more useful. The Pterodactyl was more delicate with adjustable wings to improve mobility. The Triceratops had legs instead of just tank treads. The body frame was hinged at different points, making it as versatile as the beast it had been modelled on. The Tyrannosaurus had also undergone an overhaul. While it had always been highly mobile and capable of battling individually, the upgraded version looked more fearsome, its huge mouth ready to tear through anything that got in its way.

"This is awesome," Zack commented. While the Mastodon was still slow and plodding, the body had undergone some minor modifications to make it easier to control, and an accelerator to aid its charge attack.

The Saber-toothed Tiger leapt forward. Like the Mastodon it had not changed that much. Like all the Zords its body was made up of multiple sections of material as opposed to single sheets of metal, allowing the machine to move more like the animal it had been based upon.

"Rangers, log on!" Jason laughed as he appeared in the cockpit of his machine. It was just how he remembered it.

"Zack here. All systems go."

"Billy here. Let's finish him!"

"Trini here. Ready for action."

"Let's get this bugeyed freak." That was from Kimberly.

"All right Rangers, let's show him the power of these new Zords," Jason said before directing his machine towards Eye Guy.

The Rangers decided to try out their individual attacks. Billy led the way, charging the monster with the Zord's horn, and then bucking the machine's head back to pitch Eye Guy into the air. He pulled a lever on the control panel to launch the two smaller horns at the monster. The horns were attached to chains and wrapped around Eye Guy, holding him as Billy tried to charge its main eye with the large horn. Before the machine made contact, Eye Guy launched the eyes surrounding his body, breaking the chains and throwing the Triceratops off course.

The Mastodon was the next Zord to attack, using its formidable tusks to bully the monster before whacking it across the head with its trunk. Using its freezing mist, it managed to trap Eye Guy in a block of ice. Zack moved his machine away and allowed Trini to have her shot.

The Saber-toothed Tiger was more agile than Trini remembered and she used its newfound versatility to bash the frozen monster. Trini extended the Zord's claws and swiped at Eye Guy, the ice shattered and the monster staggered back as Trini urged her Zord to sink its teeth into one of its eyes.

"Jason, he's yours!" Trini called as she moved out of the Tyrannosaurus's path.

The large red vicious Zord attacked, claws and teeth lashing out at its prey. When Eye Guy tried to fire an energy pulse from his main eye, Jason used his Zord's tail to smash the monster in the face. The Tyrannosaurus Zord's tail started to spin, drilling its opponent. Inside the Zord, Jason smiled and reached for the control. It was time to finish this.

That was when the duplicate decided to drop the illusion.

* * *

The winged monster was not doing well. Dragonzord was a powerful machine and too heavy for the monster to blow away with his wings. In desperation King Sphinx took to the air, challenging Dragonzord to follow, forgetting that the powerful machine could not fly.

Dragonzord let out an electronic roar, the lights on its chest panel alternating. It fired several rockets from its fingers, narrowly missing its target. King Sphinx dived, his sceptre in hand, but as it approached, the Zord turned, presenting the monster with the spinning end of its powerful tail.

King Sphinx gave a cry of anguish and then reverted to its slime state.

* * *

Giant Syren was all beast, with no outward sign of beauty. When she attacked, her talons were fully extended. Luckily David and Aisha were already inside their Zords and on the attack. The Stegazord charged its solar energy cells. It came to a halt in front of a mangle car, twitched its tail and sent the vehicle smashing into the monster.

The White Ranger followed up with his Zord, grabbing the monster by her shoulders and lifted it into the air, dropping it in an uninhabited area.

"Ready to finish this?" Aisha asked.

David grunted an affirmative as he moved his machine into position.

The Raptor Zord swooped from the sky, grabbed the Stegazord as it shuffled along the ground, lifted it into the air and after gaining a little momentum, released it. The Stegazord used the momentum and launched into a forward spin, its sharpened spikes ploughed into the monster, cutting the creature's body as it did so.

Syren responded angrily by unleashing a fireball at the two Zords.

"Time for Plan B," Aisha sighed.

"Dino Stegazord formation!" they called together.

Once again the Raptor Zord lifted the Stegazord into the air, but this time David and Aisha activated a new protocol allowing the Raptor Zord to reform around the rapidly reshaped Stegazord to form the arms and legs of a new gestalt machine with the Stegazord providing the head and the body; the head, torso and tail of the Raptor Zord formed the Stinger, one of its main weapons.

"Tail Attack!" White Ranger ordered.

The machine performed a forward flip, bringing the end of its tail around to deliver a sharp blow to Syren.

"Dino Stegalaser!" Purple Ranger commanded.

The Zord bowed its head and fired an energy beam at the ground. As it returned it head to its normal position, the laser travelled along the ground, approaching Syren and gaining in intensity. When it finally connected, Syren exploded and the Dino Stegazord set off to find the rest of the Rangers.

* * *

Red lights flashed in the Power Chamber; shrieking alarms filled the air. "Aye-yi-yi!" Alpha cried. "Zordon! Something is wrong, the computer is picking up abnormal readings from Angel Grove Park!"

"I believe Minion has used this attack as a diversion," Zordon answered. "However, until the Rangers are finished with his monsters they will be unable to stop him."

* * *

Things were not going well for the other Rangers. The two blobs had joined and then at Arcana's command, taken on the shape of a giant centaur with a large helmet and carrying a powerful mace. Already it had proven its speed by racing past the Triceratops, Mastodon and Saber-toothed Tiger, knocking each Zord over as it did so. An uppercut had knocked the Dragonzord flying and its mace had almost taken a chunk out of the Tyrannosaurus's hide.

The Pterodactyl had saved the day, the Zord's high speed and precision allowed it to distract the monster while keeping a safe distance. It brought the other Zords enough time to recover, at which point the Rangers had decided that they needed to pool their resources.

"All right, guys, let's bring 'em together!" Red Ranger called.

"Right!" the others responded.

A flash of lightning arced across the sky, transforming the Zords into the forms that the Rangers were familiar with. As they changed, they started to merge to form the Megazord's Tank Mode.

The Triceratops and Saber-toothed Tiger transformed, merging with the Tyrannosaurus while the Mastodon split into head shield and cannon components before joining with Tyrannosaurus from in front and behind. Then the Pterodactyl slotted into place behind the Tyrannosaurus's head, completing the procedure.

The Dino Tank rumbled forward, its energy cannons firing as it did so. The monster appeared to be unharmed as it batted the blasts away.

"Let's show him some Megazord power!" Jason cried, pressing the activation buttons.

"Megazord Sequence has been initiated," they heard the computer reply as the Pterodactyl and Mastodon head were ejected from its position. The machine pivoted, the Saber-toothed Tiger and Triceratops forming the legs and feet while the Mastodon cannons were transformed into arms. The Tyrannosaurus head folded down, allowing the Megazord's head to replace it as the Pterodactyl formed the chest shield.

"Megazord activated!" the computer announced as the Megazord's eyes lit up.

The Dino Megazord summoned the Power Sword and then rushed at the centaur. The Megazord slashed at the monster, but it spun aside and retaliated by firing balls of fire at the Megazord. The massive machine lurched.

"That was a serious hit!" Trini complained as a red light on the control panel before her lit up.

"Another hit like that and some of our systems will start going off-line!" Billy warned

"We have to take him out now!" Zack encouraged.

Megazord turned around and slashed at the monster again, narrowly avoiding the mace when it swung towards them.

"Mammoth Shield!" Kimberly cried, reacting to the monster's next move before the other. The shield appeared in time to block the fireball attack.

Sam moved Dragonzord into position, taking a swing at the centaur's head. He felt certain that the helmet protected the beast from the Megazord's attack. The creature deflected Dragonzord's tail attack and reared up on its hind legs to kick the Zord over again.

Dragonzord stood back up, activating its weaponry and launching a barrage of finger rockets at the monster. Then as the centaur shifted around, Sam directed his Zord to follow up with a tail drill attack along the monster's flank.

The other Rangers activated the Power Sword, bringing it around for a devastating blow to the monster's helmet. The headpiece exploded, splintering into pieces across the ground. They tried for a second shot, but the centaur brought its mace around to strike the Megazord's hand, causing it to drop the Power Sword; its next shot was deflected harmlessly by the Mammoth Shield, but the opportunity had been lost for now.

Working together the two Zords battered their opponent, driving him backward as they wore down his defences. Of course their ultimate goal was to destroy his weapon before he could use it again. A blur of white and purple alerted them to the Dino Stegazord's arrival. David and Aisha directed their Zord to grab the centaur's tail, distracting the beast while their friends put their own plan into action.

"Mega Dragonzord mode!" they called.

The Dragonzord transformed and landed on the Megazord's shoulders. Then as the Dino Stegazord withdrew, they fired their energy blast, ending the monster as it raised its mace for one last attack. At the last moment it shifted back to Eye Guy.

"We got it!" Zack shouted.

"No we didn't," Kimberly said, looking to where the slime had reshaped itself. "Main eye, remember?"

When the smoke cleared, only the center eye remained, floating above the ground. The Mega Dragonzord fired again and this time there was nothing it could do. The battle was over.

"All right!" the Rangers shouted, sharing their customary high fives.

* * *

The time was right, the Rangers had proven themselves in battle and were feeling confident in their abilities. Now was the moment when he could crush their confidence just as he had done with the Zeo Rangers. Certainly their Zords were impressive and their new uniforms were shiny, but how hard could it be to defeat another set of teenagers? He decided to use his second favourite method of drawing out the Rangers, and attacked the city himself.

* * *

Power Chamber,

The Rangers had arrived back at the Power Chamber and were celebrating their victory when the alarm sounded. They exchanged knowing looks; a stream of constant attacks was one of the tactics Minion had used against the Zeo Rangers.

"It's Minion," Billy said after checking the Viewing Screen.

"Let's get out there," Jason said. "It's Morphin Time!"

"White Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

"Teleporting now," Alpha told them.

In eight columns of light the Rangers teleported away, heading away to avenge their friends. Before they reached their destination, the Rangers had already summoned their Power Weapons for combat.

"Power Axe!" Black Ranger called, appearing next to Minion and swiping at him with his axe in single-handed mode. "Cosmic Cannon!" he added converting his weapon and throwing it into the air.

"Power Bow!" Pink Ranger shouted. She fired two arrows and then struck Minion with her bow before throwing it into the air to join the Power Axe.

"Power Lance!" Blue Ranger said as he struck Minion in the chest. He used two more blows and then split the lance in half, jabbed Minion with both parts before throwing it into the air to join the Power Axe and Power Bow.

"Power Daggers!" Yellow Ranger said. As she threw her daggers, Purple Ranger appeared behind the villain with her weapon. "Power Whip!"

"Drago Sword!" "Power Sword!" "Dragon Blade!" White, Red and Green Rangers called.

The three Rangers attacked at the same time, forcing Minion to reach down deep and draw the power from his Dark Dimension. After blocking each blow Minion turned to face his adversaries. He could sense their strength and was impressed by their potential. For the first time he was being truly tested, so much so that he was forced to expend a large amount of power to protect himself.

"That was a nice try," he told them, "but if you believe you can defeat me you are mistaken and I will be happy to correct your oversight. It's time you felt the full power of Minion."

"Finish the Power Blaster!" Red Ranger called, sliding the Power Sword into position.

Green Ranger stuck his sword onto the base of the Power Blaster's barrel. Purple Ranger slotted the handle of her whip into place under the sword and David placed the Drago Sword at the front like a bayonet.

"Fire!" all eight Rangers called.

Eight beams of coloured light burst from the Power Blaster, but before they could touch Minion the villain moved.

"Power Cannon!" the Rangers called as the Power Blaster disassembled and the weapons were placed back in subspace. The blast had a similar effect, as the construct proved he had the sense not to challenge their power directly.

"Pathetic humans," Minion hissed. "Do you really believe you can defeat me?"

"Power Sword!"

The Power Sword was thrust towards Minion's chest, but deflected by the Sword of Ragnarok. The battle resembled the fight between Red Ranger and the original Green Ranger a few years before. Jason remembered how he had defeated Tommy on that occasion and tried the same trick with Minion. The plan worked in disarming Minion, but Jason found the Sword of Ragnarok impossible to destroy.

"Fool, the sword is an instrument of destruction, it cannot be destroyed!" Minion crowed.

From a distance Purple Ranger attacked, using her Power Whip to strike Minion in the small of his back. White Ranger was already airborne, using his momentum to bicycle kick Minion. As he landed, he used the Drago Sword to cause more damage.

Yellow Ranger handed her Power Daggers to Pink Ranger and Black Ranger handed his Power Axe to Blue Ranger. As Pink Ranger fired the Power Daggers, Blue Ranger fired the Cosmic Cannon. Black Ranger had taken Blue Ranger's Power Lance and used it to fight Minion at close range.

"Thunder Clap!" Black Ranger called.

"Rolling Thunder!" Yellow Ranger called.

Once again Minion was engulfed in lightning, this time with the added noise of thunder. Minion dropped to the ground from the assault. As he regained his footing, he failed to notice Green Ranger moving into position under his knees. Red Ranger delivered yet another punch and sent Minion over the Green Ranger.

"Surround him!" Red Ranger called. "Blade Blasters up!"

Surrounding Minion on all sides, the Rangers fired. Their blasts ripped into the villain. After their first try to destroy him failed, Red Ranger realised they needed a new plan.

"Time for..."

"No!" Minion interrupted. He had underestimated the Rangers, he could see that now. They were dangerous, far too risky to play with. He needed to destroy them quickly. Perhaps it was time to reconsider his goal of conquering the Earth. After all, there was the rest of the Universe at his disposal. "I have given you all a chance to take your best shots, but now I am tired of playing with you. It's time to grow up!"

Minion suddenly grew to full size and drew the Sword of Ragnarok once again. He made a slicing motion and moved the sword in a small circle. He drove the large blade into the ground until only the handle of the blade could be seen. The device he had been given shattered as the ripped through the physical world and then the dimensional barriers. Minion's magic poured into the sword helping it to cleanly cleave its way through the barriers. But it was his rage and hatred that gave the sword its purpose to destroy everything.

As Minion fed his power into the sword, it bled into the Ley Lines that crisscrossed the planet and into the Morphin Grid. The sword was now connected to two vast energy conduits, one of which extended through all reality. As the device shattered the destructive power it contained was sent throughout reality, overloading the conduits and exploding out through tears in the very fabric of time and space.

Meanwhile the cuts Minion had made before plunging the sword into the planet had opened.

"What have you done?" Billy queried.

"I have put an end to this battle one way or the other," Minion told them, his voice echoing over the city. "Allow me to introduce you to the source of my power, the Dark Dimension, right here on Earth."

"But the Dark Dimension is too large to exist here," Billy protested.

Minion laughed as he imagined the look on Billy's face as he realised what that meant. The Dark Dimension had a greater density and therefore a greater gravity than the Earth. And for every moment it was open the Dark Dimension drew more of the Rangers' world into itself. And in the process, the pull of the gravity would rip the planet to pieces.

"There is no way for you to win," Minion continued. "Should you fall in battle I win; should by some miracle you manage to defeat me, the Earth will be ripped to pieces as it is sucked into the Dark Dimension where I rule supreme. Either way, I win."

"Or we can stop you and close that rift," Jason yelled back.

Raising his sword Minion prepared to crush the Rangers. He was prevented from doing so as a charging Dinozord lifted him off his feet. The Triceratops shook its head, jamming its horn further into Minion's side.

"When did we summon the Zords?" Red Ranger asked as the other Dinozords arrived, Dragonzord bringing up the rear due to its bulk.

"Zordon must have sent them," Trini guessed.

"Alright Zordon," Jason cheered. "Rangers, let's go!"

Even in his weakened state Minion still managed to hold his own against the Zords. He summoned the Sword of Darkness from the Dark Dimension and used it in place of the Sword of Ragnarok.

Billy had quickly decided that the horn on Minion's wolf mask was an energy conductor and as such, a possible weakness. The Rangers tried to zero in on that target.

Minion managed to free himself from the Triceratops's horn, only to find himself on the wrong end of the Pterodactyl's talons. The Saber-toothed and Mastodon were close behind as the Stegazord moved into position to trip the villain as the yellow Zord pounced. Minion blasted the three Zords away as the Raptor Zord swooped in and pulled him into the sky.

David allowed the Power to guide him as he directed his Zord to circle while gaining altitude. When he reached the desired height he made the Zord swoop toward the ground, picked up speed before releasing Minion and then pulled out of the dive. While he was skilled enough to roll away from the villain's blast, he failed to dodge a building, grounding his machine in the process.

The Dragonzord lurched forward, combining the experience of the Green Ranger and the machine he had been created to pilot. The fight with Minion moved back and forth as it had on previous occasions. Sam activated one of his machine's rarely used attacks, firing a boomerang shaped bolt of energy from the Dragonzord's forehead. Shortly after that he remembered why he didn't like that weapon as Minion batted it back at him.

~Why did I bother?~ Sam wondered. He wasn't sure that attack had ever worked.

While Dragonzord tried to recover from its own attack, the Tyrannosaurus closed the distance, mauling Minion with its claws and teeth.

"Take this!" Minion growled, throwing a ball of dark energy. Dragonzord, returning the favour from earlier, intercepted the shot and sent it hurtling back at the villain.

"Time to turn this up a notch," Jason observed.

A flash of lightning transformed the Zords, making them ready to merge.

"Not this time," Minion warned.

He drove a glowing fist into the side of the Mastodon and struck the Stegazord across the back with his elbow. While the machines' self-repair programs would deal with any damage, not that the new Dinozords were that easy to damage, but the shock rendered both machines immobile.

"So was there a point to that?" Kimberly asked.

"Of course there was a point, foolish girl," Minion answered. He could sense the small tear he had created between the Rangers' plane and the Dark Dimension growing. Soon they would see the reason he was guaranteed to triumph and the Earth would be lucky to survive. "The Mastodon Zord is essential for either the Dino Megazord or Dragonzord Battle Mode. Without the Stegazord there is no Dino Stegazord formation. With two blows I have robbed you of your ability to merge your powers.

"Switch back!" Jason ordered.

Following his orders the Saber-toothed Tiger, Triceratops and Pterodactyl reverted to their new forms, making them more effective in individual combat. Meanwhile the Tyrannosaurus had engaged Minion in battle again, using its tail to stand on while it kicked the villain in the chest. Minion staggered back as the Zord followed up with a head butt, never noticing as Dragonzord moved in from behind with a powerful tail smash.

Minion tried to fight back, bringing all the power and techniques he had mastered into play. The Rangers controlled their Zords expertly, compensating for their lack of a Megazord by coordinating their individual attacks. And as they did so they allowed the damaged Zords a chance to rejoin the battle.

The Raptor Zord swooped, plucking the Saber-toothed Tiger from the ground. With Trini operating her Zord's teeth and claws, and David using the Raptor Zord to keep the yellow Zord in the air as it attacked. David pulled the lever, allowing the Saber-toothed Tiger to drop onto the villain, mauling him as they fell to the ground.

"Mastodon, back online!" Zack reported.

"Ground Breath Attack!" Jason called, shifting a slider on his control panel to the right.

The Tyrannosaurus shot a burst of yellow energy from its mouth into the ground, causing a line of smoke to explode upward from the ground toward Minion. A purple energy screen appeared in front of the villain, protecting him from an attack that had in the past seen the end of Shell shock and Rita's Giant.

"While he's distracted, let's bring them together, Battle Mode!"

The Rangers formed the Megazord, this time foregoing the Dino Tank stage. Instead the Mastodon formed the arms immediately, the Saber-toothed Tiger and Triceratops moved into position as legs, and the Pterodactyl slotted into place as the chest; the Megazord's head was already in position as the machine came to a stop and stood upright.

"Power Punch Missiles!" the Rangers called.

The Megazord lurched forward, launching a fist from the end of its arm, which flew toward Minion and exploded against his chest. The fist then regenerated on the Megazord's arm, ready to continue the battle.

"Power Sword!" the Rangers called, preparing to finish the battle.

The Megazord swung its sword, slicing through Minion's horn, just as they had hoped. His armour started to spark, having lost its ability to regulate the Morphin Energy that Minion had used to create it. With an angry growl, Minion turned and vanished with a swirl of his cloak.

"Rangers, return to the Power Chamber at once," Zordon ordered before they could celebrate. The Rangers exchange worried glances and teleported away.

* * *

It had started on Aquitar; a few small tremors marked the beginning of the destruction, but just minutes later there was panic as the planet started to shake itself apart. The seas boiled as great chunks of the planet were swallowed by a black void that had appeared in the sky.

On Triforia the Royal Advisors tried to organise a mass evacuation of the Triforian System. The system's suns had disappeared, throwing the planets into chaos. Trent tried to send a message to Trey on Earth before it was too late. The planet was destroyed before the message could be sent.

On Onyx the Executive Council of the UAE had decided to meet to put an end to Minion and the impostor who had boasted of his success. Some of the assembled villains seemed to sense what was to come; Lord Zedd even tried to escape before it happened, but in the end they too were swallowed by the void.

The devastation continued, ripping its way through worlds, whole star systems and even galaxies without slowing. Only Earth seemed unaffected by the devastation that had been unleashed by Minion. Far away from Earth, the Master was busy, still seeking the answer to the puzzle box that for some reason evaded him.

A beeping noise alerted him that something was wrong. He checked the readings, frowned and then started flipping controls. The destruction that Minion had unleashed was running away from him; it should never have become self-sustaining. It seemed that he had miscalculated, but no matter, with the energy he had already collected he was capable of shifting outside of time and space; regardless of what happened, he would be safe. His smile of victory vanished when his ship started to disintegrate.

* * *

After the Rangers teleported into the Power Chamber, they simultaneously pulled their helmets off.

"Rangers," Alpha said. "You are safe."

"Zordon, what's going on?" Jason asked. The message had sounded urgent.

"During you battle Alpha and I were checking Minion's boast," Zordon explained. "What we found was deeply disturbing. Alpha, enlarge the image for the Rangers."

"What is that?" Kimberly asked when the computer focussed in on the white reflective globe mounted on the handle.

"The computer has failed to identify it," Alpha told them. "However it is agitating the sword and accelerating the damage."

"Somebody has assembled this device and given it to Minion," Zordon continued in a concerned tone. "It is beyond the technical knowledge of his known allies." ~I hope.~

"Couldn't Minion have built it?" Trini asked.

"Minion has not had the time to do so, nor does he have the knowledge to tune such a device."

"So either Minion found somebody to do it for him," Zack suggested.

"Or somebody decided to help him," Aisha finished. "Who?"

"Not Rita or Zedd, that's for sure," Zack noted.

"Quite true Zachary. I believe that whoever has been aiding Minion has done so to further their own scheme. I do not believe those motives involve conquering the planet. I also believe that Minion's benefactor expected Earth to be the first casualty."

There was silence.

"Zordon, what has happened?"

"Behold the Viewing Screen," Zordon told them. "What you are seeing is a map of this galaxy."

The Rangers stared as the lights representing planets and stars started to disappear.

"No way," Zack breathed.

"The device was used on Earth with the Sword of Ragnarok; Minion clearly expected the rift he opened between this universe and the Dark Dimension to cause the destruction of the Earth. Minion did not know that the Earth's natural magic would resist his attempts, reflecting the energy waves into Morphin Grid, and in the process amplifying it. The result is that similar rifts have opened on worlds throughout the galaxy and possibly beyond."

"Ai-yi-yi, the process is growing faster," Alpha complained.

"For every world and star consumed, the Dark Dimension can feed more power through the sword and into the device."

"So how do we stop it?" Sam wanted to know.

"I am afraid it is too late to stop," Zordon said. "It would seem that Minion has won."

* * *

"Zordon, you can't mean that," Aisha said.

"I am afraid that it is true Aisha, the destruction has become self-sustaining."

"Couldn't we use the Great Power?" Trini asked.

"The Great Power can only repair the damage that has been caused, it cannot stop the destruction from occurring," Zordon explained.

"What if we destroyed the sword?"

"The sword cannot be destroyed," Alpha wailed. "It is made of an unknown material that is immune to our weapons."

"The destruction is moving beyond our galaxy," Billy observed. It wouldn't be long in his estimation before the effects turned inwards and the Earth fell victim.

"What's going to happen, Zordon?" Tanya asked fearfully.

"Minion's intention was to drive the Earth into the Dark Dimension," Zordon explained. "As it does so the magic of the planet will turn the Earth against itself. The worst disturbances will probably begin close to the sword. However, because Minion's aims were not the same as the one who aided him, they have provided us with a solution. Should the Sword of Ragnarok be sucked into Dark Dimension, it will lose its ability to draw from the Earth's power and its connection to the Morphin Grid. It would then be possible to attempt to seal the rift and repair the damage it has caused.

"But the sword cannot be moved," Zack guessed.

"Affirmative," Billy agreed, looking over a printout. "The device is bound to the sword, the sword is buried in the Earth and protected by a barrier Minion put in place."

"So we need to destroy Minion," Kimberly said.

"Just one problem," Zack observed, looking at the world map. "We can't find him."

"We have to do something," David protested.

"First we need to make sure everyone stays safe?" Jason said. "Alpha, contact Tommy and the others; we need them here."

"Yes Jason, right away." Alpha activated the signal to the Gem Coin Rangers.

* * *

In his home, Tommy heard the beep of his communicator and ignored it. His mind was already made up that the Rangers were better off without him.

In Ko's Garden Adam had the same thought. He was determined he would never let a Ranger down again and the way to do that was to surrender his powers.

In Pyramidas Trey heard the call to action and struggled with his conscience about the best course of action. He knew he couldn't give up, but part of him just wanted to go home.

Rocky was still on the bed where Jason had left him. The Red Ranger had understood when Rocky did not want to answer the call, Rocky was sure he would understand if he stayed away.

Kat and Tanya also chose not to answer their communicators. Both were certain they did not belong to the Rangers and both were scared of what morphing again would mean.

"No response Zordon," Alpha said.

"Alpha, teleport them here. The Earth needs them and I am afraid we have no choice."

In six flashes of light the former Zeo Rangers and Trey appeared. None of them looked pleased to be back.

"I realise you have been through a great deal," their mentor rumbled. "Were it within my power I would ensure you never experience such torment again and Travis would be here with us. But that is not within my capabilities. The Earth needs you now and I ask you to look within and find the courage to fulfil your duties. You must first travel to Dimension Z, a place closely connected to this world and retrieve the Orb of Hope."

The six Rangers nodded and teleported away on their quest.

"Orb of Hope?" Aisha asked when they had gone.

"Trust me Aisha," Zordon replied. "It is for the best. Alpha, tell the Orb Keeper to expect the Rangers and to unleash Harmonia upon their arrival."

"Ai-yi-yi," Alpha muttered as he did what he was told.

"Oh no, look!" Kimberly cried.

The Viewing Screen was starting to show disasters breaking out all over the world, early signs that the planet was being drawn into the Dark Dimension.

"There must be something more we can do," Trini said.

"We can warn people," Jason said. "Encourage people to get in their basements or something."

It would make very little difference to the outcome, but at least they were doing something. Anything, no matter how small a gesture it seemed was better then nothing.

"That is an excellent suggestion," Zordon said. "First you must morph and go warn various television studios. If you go and extend the warning in person, it will carry more weight than if I were to warn them through our radio systems. Then you should go help in Angel Grove as much as you can while I try to find a solution."

"Let's go guys," Jason said. Eight bursts of light floated out of the Power Chamber. "It's Morphin Time!"

"White Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

The Rangers teleported to Alpha's coordinates, leaving the robot to worry. "Ai-yi-yi, Zordon," Alpha said. "What should I do?"

"Begin a scan for Minion. Finding and destroying him is the only way this destruction can be stopped."

* * *

Dimension Z

The six Rangers appeared in a dimension filled with lush green forest. Tommy found this surprising since he had assumed Dimension Z belonged to Lord Zedd. Slowly they made their way through the jungle, avoiding the obvious traps until they reached a tall temple.

"Shall we?" Rocky asked.

The others nodded and together they started to climb the steps. At first the climb was easy, but as they got higher it became more difficult to climb. They could have morphed, but the Rangers did not feel they deserved the Power anymore.

"That's far enough, strangers!" Looking up the Rangers could see a woman in a long white gown looking at them. "I am Harmonia, protector of the Orb of Hope. Identify yourselves or face my wrath."

"Zordon sent us," Tommy said simply.

"So, you are Rangers?"

Although they all shook their heads, Harmonia could see they were silently thinking they were. "Why are you here?"

"Zordon sent us to collect the Orb of Hope," Trey told her.

"To collect the Orb you must each prove yourselves worthy," she told him. "First morph and then enter the temple one at a time."

"It's Morphin Time," Tommy said without enthusiasm.

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane."

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear."

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape."

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon."

"Gold Ranger Power."

In five columns the Rangers were teleported into the temple leaving Adam outside, still struggling over whether to morph or nor. Harmonia sighed. "At least five of them are willing to morph." Adam was going to be a problem, but she had ways to get him into the temple.

* * *

"Billy and I will go to the Juice Bar," Kimberly said after the Rangers had finished their news broadcast. It would be relayed out to multiple organisations and shown as soon as possible.

"I'll go to Angel Grove Hospital," Zack said.

"I'll go with you," Trini offered. The two teens took off running.

"The wind is really starting to pick up," Aisha observed. The sky was a sickeningly shade of grey, and heavy, ominous thunderclouds sat just above the city. "We have to hurry."

"David, there are some nursing homes near here," Jason said. "Let's go warn them."

"Right," he agreed.

"I'll go see if I can help at the high school," Aisha said.

"We'll meet up with you later," Kimberly said. She and Billy promptly took off for Ernie's.

* * *

Dimension Z

Tommy found himself teleported into a room similar to the place where Minion had held Travis. As he looked around, he realised he was on the floor with a blaster in front of him.

"Five!" Tommy recognised Minion's voice. Sure enough, as he looked up he could see Minion holding Travis in the hold he had before. He reached for the blaster and then remembered that the blaster was only set to half power.

~This is an illusion, ~ he thought. ~There is no way to change what happened, so give up now and let him die. ~

That was an easy option for Tommy. For a moment he even considered doing just that and allowing his friend to die.

"No," he said as much to himself as anybody else. "I won't let somebody else die because I failed."

"You failed last time," Minion said.

"Last time I was hurt, I had not powers and I was scared," Tommy admitted. "But I will never let anybody do what you did to me ever again. I am Zeo Ranger V - Red and you're history!"

Red Zeo leapt at Minion, careful to avoid striking Travis in the process. The Zeo V Power Sword made contact and Minion vanished into red smoke. The captive changed and Tommy realised it was not Travis. For a moment he had been willing to let another innocent die, but he had conquered his fear and now he knew what he had to do. Touching his belt, he teleported away.

* * *

Kimberly and Billy had just stepped into Ernie's when a powerful boom of thunder shook the entire building. There was no rain, but plenty of thunder and lightning. They had demorphed to avoid a panic.

"Ernie!" Kimberly shouted, running up to the bar. "You have to get everybody in the basement."

"What?" he asked, still wiping the counter down.

"There's a major storm headed this way," Billy said. "They expect it to level everything in Angel Grove."

"They who?" Ernie asked. "They haven't said anything about it on the news."

"The Power Rangers, that's who," Kimberly said. "And they haven't aired it yet because the Power Rangers haven't got to the television studios yet."

Ernie's face suddenly went pale. "You got it," he said. "Hey! Everybody! We have to go in the basement! Come on!"

"What do we do Billy?" Kimberly asked. "Where do we go?"

"I don't know," he said. "I guess we should go and warn people in the streets."

Ernie ran back up to the bar. "You guys," Ernie said, "be careful." He smiled a knowing smile and followed the crowd of teens to the basement.

In a flash of pink and blue light, their Ranger armour moulded itself around the body of the two teens, increasing their muscularity, reflexes, strength, and fighting ability. "Let's go," Kimberly said. They ran out into the rapidly increasing storm.

"The wind's really picking up!" Billy shouted.

"Billy! Look!" Kimberly screamed, pointing to the left.

They both watched in terrified awe as a heavy, black funnel cloud lowered itself to the Earth.

* * *

Aisha ran down the halls of Angel Grove High. Class was still in session, as sixth period had yet to end. She wondered briefly if she should handle the problem in her civilian guise. "Aisha," she thought to herself, "you are supposed to be in Africa. They are going to have questions as to why you're here. Save yourself the trouble and remain morphed."

The Purple Ranger hurried into the main office, startling the secretary. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes," Aisha said. "A major storm is about to hit Angel Grove. You need to warn the students." Suddenly, the entire building began to shake. "Or an earthquake," Aisha added.

* * *

"The Rangers are on the move, master," Arcana reported.

"They should have given up by now," Minion snarled.

He reached out to the Moon and the Machine Sky Base, grabbing as many of his competitors' forces as possible. He would stop the Rangers, one way or the other.

* * *

Kimberly and Billy watched as the tornado slowly melted away. Its damage, however, had already been done. Several blocks of suburbia were destroyed, along with countless innocent lives. "Oh my God, Billy," Kimberly sighed.

Just as suddenly as it came, the rain stopped. The lightning remained, but the torrential downpour ceased.

"Destroy - the - Power Rangers," a robotic voice said.

Billy and Kimberly turned around to see an army marching toward them. Cogs on the front line, Tengas behind, Putties and Super Putties close behind.

"This day just keeps going from bad to worse," Kimberly said.

"This is Billy. Kimberly and I need help. We've got an entire army about to attack on the north side of Angel Grove," he said into his wrist. "Can anybody hear us?" Billy asked frantically. "Hello?"

"It's not working!" Kimberly cried. "Zordon! Alpha!"

"Looks like we're on our own," Billy said.

"Well, if anybody can do it," Kimberly began.

"We can," Billy finished.

* * *

"Ai-yi-yi Zordon!" Alpha cried. "I don't think those are ordinary earthquakes! And people are dying by the thousands! Ai-yi-yi Zordon! What are we going to do! Population has already dropped to 3.6 billion! Ai-yi-yi yi-yi-yi-yi!"

"Calm yourself, Alpha Five," Zordon said. "We are doing all that we can do. Check the temperature of the Earth below Angel Grove."

"Right Zordon," Alpha said, hustling over to a nearby console. The scan took only a few moments. "Ai-yi-yi! Temperature has already risen forty-seven point three degrees! Molten rock is being forced up to the surface! We're doomed!"

"Is the molten rock coming up from beneath Power Mountain?" Zordon asked, his voice very calm.

"No, Zordon," Alpha said. "Fortunately, the spell you cast ten thousand years ago is still holding. This mountain is rock solid."

"Then there is still hope."

"I certainly hope so," Alpha said woefully.

* * *

"Dear God," Zack said.

He and Trini stood at the mouth of the Hospital Parking Lot. They were both soaked to the skin, but that really didn't seem to matter at the moment. The two teens just stared at the smoking pile of rubble that had once been Angel Grove Memorial.

"Those poor people," Trini muttered in a very small voice. She fought back the tears that tried to break free.

Suddenly, a terrible crack of thunder deafened them both. A multi-forked lightning bolt struck the rubble. Trini dropped to her knees with both hands over her ears. A raging inferno sprang to life almost immediately.

"There's probably severed gas mains around here," Zack said.

"Let's get out of here," Trini said, jumping to her feet. A giant red fireball exploded behind them.

* * *

Aisha screamed as the office split down the middle. She watched in stunned horror as the receptionist and her desk full into the gaping chasm that formed right down the middle of the office. The Purple Ranger lunged at the falling woman, but it was too late.

"No!" Aisha screeched. She crawled away from the gaping schism in the Earth as molten fire began to bubble out of it.

* * *

Jason and David stopped two blocks away from the nursing home. "We're too late," David said as the tornado continued its path of destruction. Jason turned away from the horrific site, dropped to his knees, and vomited up everything he had eaten that day.

He suddenly felt so useless. He had become a Ranger to save the planet, and then left for the Peace Conference to continue helping, just in a different way. And all for what? Just to have everyone in Angel Grove die. His mother, father. Emily. "No," Jason said. "No. It can't end like this."

"Jason," David said. "We're too late. Now pull yourself together and maybe we can help somebody else." David spoke with a tone of voice he never would have dreamed he would use on anyone, certainly not Jason. But he was the White Ranger, he who led the charge against the darkness and despite David's quiet nature and his preference for letting the Red Ranger command, circumstances forced him to step up to the plate.

"You're right," Jason breathed. He wiped his forearm across his mouth and stood up. "You're right. Sorry for losin' it."

"It's okay," David muttered. "There's no use following the tornado's path. I doubt we'll find any signs of life that way."

"You're right," Jason said yet again. "We'll head the other way."

The positions reversed, the normal roles were resumed, Jason as the field commander and David as the quiet follower.

Jason turned around just in time to see the well-defined boundary of rain. The rain seemed to form a solid wall, and it was slowly creeping its way into Angel Grove. "Hurricane," he whispered.

* * *

"I can't take the time to fight any one of these guys," Billy thought to himself. "Just launch a full assault on as many as you can."

"Power Lance!" he shouted. He held the Lance in both hands before him and ran into the army of warriors.

Billy reached the middle of the group and stopped. He began to spin his Lance all around him, producing sparks from the Cogs, and screams from the Tengas.

Kimberly stood slightly back, picking off the Z-Putties and Tengas alike with her arrows. Her aim was precise, every shot hitting the Z on the Putties chests or a tender spot on the Tengas.

* * *

Dimension Z

The other four Zeo Rangers had been through a similar test, concentrating on their different responses to what had happened in Minion's Sub-dimension. Tanya had been in the room on her own until she realised that her friends would never leave her. Trey had finally conquered his conflicting emotions surrounding Travis sufficiently to stabilise and draw on his full power. Rocky had made peace with his conscience and felt better and Kat had determined to resolve her problems with Tommy as soon as she got home.

Now all that was left was for Adam to join them. Then they could get the Orb and leave. They waited for a while until it became obvious Adam was not coming.

Kat was the first to hear the sound of something falling, but it did little to help as a cage formed around them. Their powers seemed to fade making it impossible to break out and poisoned gas started to pump into the chamber.

"I think we're in trouble," Rocky said as the ceiling started to fall towards them.

* * *

"You okay girl?" Zack asked, running out of the flaming inferno.

"I've been better," Trini said, "but yeah. I'm okay. Where do we go now? What do we do, Zack?"

"I don't know," he stammered. The ground began to crack beneath their feet.

"What now?" Trini cried. The two Rangers jumped out of the way as the pavement began to disintegrate. Suddenly, red lava began to spew out of the numerous spiderweb cracks.

Before Trini and Zack could even comprehend the volcano that was forming beneath Angel Grove, the hurricane was upon them.

* * *

David wrapped his arms around a lamppost. "This isn't good!" Jason shouted over the roar of the wind. David nodded in agreement. He pulled his right hand closer to his face. Concentrating, he tried to redirect the wind around them. He let go of the lamppost and found that the wind scarcely had an effect on him at all.

"Zordon," Jason said into his wrist. "Alpha. Jason to Power Chamber. Jason to Power Chamber."

"Why isn't it working?" David asked.

"I don't know," Jason said, noticing that their suits seemed to change in brightness "The rift is affecting the Morphin Grid. Hold on. I'm going to try to teleport." He put his hands on his Morpher Buckle and squeezed the sides, signalling a teleport. However, nothing happened. "Lord help us all," Jason thought to himself.

* * *

"I don't know what to do!" Aisha screamed over the roar of the wind and crackle of fire. The school was about to be overwhelmed with molten lava, yet she couldn't lead the students outside because of the hurricane. As it turned out, it didn't matter. Just a few seconds later, the school collapsed in on itself.

* * *

"There's no one left to help, Zack!" Trini cried. "I'm going back to the Power Chamber."

"I know," Zack said. The two Rangers stopped and attempted to teleport.

"Wha?" Trini asked. She attempted to teleport again.

"Man, now the Power Chamber," Zack said. "This day just keeps going from bad to worse!"

* * *

Billy landed on his back beside Kimberly. He quickly shuffled away from the approaching army. "Billy," Kimberly said, "we can't handle all these guys. People are dying by the thousands all around us. What more harm can they do? I say we get out of here!"

"You're right," he said. They started to run, when the ground began to rumble beneath them.

"Earthquakes and hurricanes?" Kimberly asked sarcastically.

Suddenly, she realized that it was no Earthquake. A large section of the street fell straight down. Billy flipped away from the trouble, but Kimberly was too late.

Part of the street fell with them, while another part got wedged against some various pipes. It did not fall completely, but it was slanted nearly sixty degrees. Screaming, Kimberly slid down this slanted section of broken asphalt. At the last second, she grabbed a water pipe. The chunk of asphalt finally broke free, plunging into the lava stream far below.

"Billy!" Kimberly screamed. The pipe began to bend, lowering her inch by inch to her doom.

"Hold on Kimberly!" he cried. However, he had no idea how to save his comrade. She couldn't teleport, and in a matter of seconds, she would fall into the lava far below. She could certainly survive the fall in her uniform. She could even survive the scorching river of fire. However, it was moving fast, and he had no idea where it would carry her.

* * *

"Thank you very much," Sam said to the producer at WKTP in New York City. He pushed his belt buckle and waited for the teleport. Nothing. He tried once more. Nothing. "Teleportation is off-line?" Sam asked himself in horror.

* * *

"Help me Billy!" Kimberly screamed as the pipe dropped an extra five feet.

"I'm hurrying!" Billy called down to her in an equally frantic voice.

He glanced all about him, looking for anything he could use to help Kimberly. He saw a fallen power line and got an idea. Billy pulled his Blade Blaster from its holster and fired at the thick wire. The blue laser sliced clean through it. He promptly shot the wire again at a distance about fifty feet from the first nick. "I've got an idea!" he shouted down to Kimberly. "Just hold on!"

"This pipe isn't going to hold much longer!" she cried.

Billy ran up to her and, holding tight to one end, tossed the power line down to Kimberly. As soon as it swung past her, she latched hold of the wire and held on for dear life. In just a few moments, he had her pulled to safety. She hugged Billy tightly, not wanting to let go. Despite the hurricane raging around them, he just held her in return.

* * *

Aisha ran into David. "David!" she cried. "Jason! The school is gone! It collapsed while I was inside it! There's nothing left!"

"That's what all of Angel Grove is like," David answered sadly. "Nursing homes, suburbs. Business district."

"It's all levelled," Jason said. "And if that isn't bad enough, teleportation and communications are offline."

"Let's find the others," Aisha said. "Maybe Billy knows some way to get back to the Power Chamber."

"Sounds like a good idea," Jason agreed.

* * *

Dimension Z

Adam sat alone on the steps of the temple. He had wanted to go with the others, but he was scared of being helpless to save his fellow Rangers again.

"Adam!"

~That sounds like Rocky, ~ he thought.

"Help!"

Every part of Adam wanted to morph and help his friends, but his mind kept returning to the sight of seeing Travis being killed by Minion and knowing there was no way for him to help.

"I have my powers," he said to himself, trying to find a reason to help.

~I couldn't help last time. Why would this time be any different? ~

But Adam already knew the answer. This time would be different because this time he would not fail.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"

In a flash of green he teleported into the temple, ready to help. He arrived just in time to free his companions and for them to get out of the trap.

"So," Harmonia hissed. "You have passed the test of the temple. Now you have only to defeat me."

As she spoke a katana like sword appeared in her hand. Her white gown became black as her hair turned into a mass of green snakelike creatures.

"Zeo Power Weapons," Red Zeo said to his companions. "Let's show her why you don't mess with the Zeo Rangers."

Now with the power of the Zeo Crystal flowing through their bodies the Zeo Rangers attacked and discovered they had some new abilities.

"Zeo Power Shield!" Pink Zeo called.

After blocking a blow from Harmonia, Pink Zeo jumped away and threw her disklike shield. The disk flew through the air, missing Harmonia on the first pass, but rebounding to strike her from behind.

"Now, Zeo I Power Disk!"

Grabbing hold of the shield, Kat was propelled into Harmonia. The monster fell to the ground, as Kat was teleported back to her friends. With the Zeo power, the Rangers had gained greater control over their teleportation abilities. Kat had seen the greatest increase since she was able to change course in mid teleport.

"Zeo III Hammer Punch!"

Blue Zeo started to spin as he had in the when using his Power Punch. This time as he reached top speed he lifted off the ground, aimed for Harmonia's head and delivered a double axe handle type blow to the head.

"You'll pay for that," Harmonia screeched, reminding the Rangers of Rita Repulsa.

Harmonia's hair reached out and wrapped around Blue Zeo, pulling him towards her.

"Zeo V Power Blast!"

After raising his sword so the star-shaped hilt was level with his helmet, Red Zeo fed the power from his Zeo Shard into a single blast. Harmonia's hair was ripped apart as Red Zeo followed up.

"Zeo V Power Kick!"

"Zeo V Power Sword!"

A quick kick knocked Harmonia off balance as the Power Sword sliced her in half. The monster exploded, leaving the Rangers victorious.

"You have past the test Rangers," the Keeper said as he walked in. "Here is the object you seek."

Pulling back a white shroud the Keeper revealed a large crystal. All the Rangers recognised it at once.

"That's the Zeo Crystal," Rocky said.

"Correct," the Keeper said. "You all past the test and proven yourselves worthy of the Zeo Crystal. While you have been here, the Crystal has been regenerating. Soon it will be ready for you to use again. Harmonia never wanted to stop you, but she was under instructions to make you realise you were Rangers."

"Then this isn't Zedd's Dimension?" Tommy asked.

"Zedd? Is that what he led you to believe? That sly old dog. This dimension is the personal domain of Zordon. It has no other master. Remember Titanus young Panther."

Tommy groaned as he remembered the first time he had met Titanus. The mighty dinosaur had tried to prevent Tommy and Jason from getting some new weapons until they learnt to work as a team. In the end it had turned out to be a test by Zordon to ensure the two Rangers could work together.

"Now, I believe you have a world that needs saving," the Keeper continued. "The others are trying to warn people of the danger, perhaps you can help them."

As he spoke the Rangers' uniforms vanished and they realised they needed to morph properly.

"Zeo Ranger I - Crane!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Bear!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Ape!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Frog!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Falcon!"

"Gold Ranger Power!"

As the Rangers vanished, so did the temple along with the Keeper.

* * *

New York

The young mother covered her head and screamed as the building fell towards her. Car brakes squealed as drivers desperately tried to regain control of their vehicles. The earthquake or whatever it was that was causing the shaking was causing chaos across America. The boats on the river were trying to navigate through a full force hurricane as a massive tidal wave swept through Manhattan.

Just as the woman was about to be squashed, a thick glob of webbing grabbed her from its path. Spider-Man lifted her away from the danger; glad he could save a life, saddened at the ten or so workers who had perished in the building's collapse.

"What is going on?" he wondered after setting the damsel down. He had seen storms before, earthquakes, and even his fair share of towering infernos. He had never seen them all occur simultaneously with a few blocks of a volcano.

The building he had been resting against gave way, plunging him into the street; he fired a web line and swung to safety only for the line to break. He found himself plummeting into a pool of lava.

* * *

Zack and Trini found Billy and Kimberly. "It's all gone," Trini said woodenly. "All of Angel Grove."

"The Power Chamber might be gone," Billy said. "We have no way of knowing."

"How will we get back?" Zack asked.

"We can try calling on a Zord," Billy said. "At least that way we can travel out to the Power Chamber."

"HEY!" a strong voice shouted. "You guys!"

"It's Jason," Zack said. "With Aisha and David."

The seven Rangers joined up a few seconds later. Billy quickly explained his plan for getting back to the Power Chamber.

"David, do the honours."

"Right," he said. "Raptor Zord, power up!"

* * *

From its hiding place the Raptor Zord emerged and flew into the wind.

* * *

"I see it!" Trini shouted. The white Zord flew toward them, despite the lightning, wind, and torrential downpour of rain. "David, just get us back to Power Mountain, we should be able to teleport from there. Everybody else, we have to line-of-sight teleport into the empty area in the Zord's belly."

"Will that work?" Zack asked. "With the teleportation system off-line?"

"It should," Billy said. "Line-of-sight is activated by the Zords, not from the normal teleport unit in the Power Chamber.

"We're about to see if you're right," David said. The seven Rangers jumped into the air and teleported into the Zord.

* * *

"Rangers!" Alpha cried when they finally arrived in the Power Chamber. "I am so glad you are safe!"

"Why is the teleportation unit off-line?" Billy asked, setting his helmet on a computer console. He immediately began to search for the problem.

"We weren't aware that it was," Zordon said.

"Well, I've found the problem," Billy said. "It was accidentally forced off-line when all hell broke lose up there. The computers are trying to keep track of human lives, and the numerous hurricanes, tornadoes, et cetera."

"Oh no," Trini said, moving over to Zordon's tube. There was a large, rectangular screen just to the left of it. There was a flat map of the entire globe. Red hurricanes, tiny blips representing hurricanes, and numerous other horrific anomalies covered the entire map. But what terrified her was the population display.

"Two point seven billion," Trini said quietly. "Nearly half of the planet has died."

"I will set to work getting the teleportation and communication systems on line immediately," Alpha said. "Ai-yi-yi, Tommy and the others are still out there!"

"How long will it take?" Jason asked.

"The better part of an hour I'm afraid," the robot said.

"That's too long," Billy said.

"Adam is in Argentina, Tommy in Paris, Kat in Australia, and Tanya in Tokyo," Kimberly said. "Rocky is in Britain and Trey is in Moscow."

"We'll just have to hope they can hold on," Jason said. "There is no way we can get to them."

"Zordon, what about the Zords?" Trini asked. The Rangers did not know exactly where their machines were held between battles, but with the entire planet under threat, they didn't want to take the risk.

"I have already activated the emergency protocols," Zordon answered. "Your Zords had retreated into the Morphin Grid and will emerge only in answer to your call or when the danger has passed."

That was a good thing. The Rangers continued to watch, helpless as the world came closer and closer to the point of no return

* * *

An hour or so later

A few tendrils of green light wafted into the Power Chamber. "This is a slow teleport," Aisha observed.

After about fifteen seconds, a column of green light had collected. It immediately turned into the Green Zeo Ranger. "That was weird," Adam said.

"Here comes Katherine and Rocky," Aisha said. She slammed her hand on the button. A temporary flash of pink light appeared, and Katherine was suddenly dropped from the Power Chamber's ceiling. Fortunately, her pink armour protected her from harm. Rocky teleported into the Power Chamber at a forty-five degrees and slammed into Katherine.

"Are you sure the teleporter is working right?" Kimberly asked.

Alpha glanced up at Zordon as if asking permission to reply. Seeing no objection he did so.

"We are losing power, Rangers," Alpha explained.

"How do you mean?"

"The Power is an energy field that is revitalised by living beings. As the number of lifeforms diminishes, so does the Power, and I'm afraid, so does the Morphin Grid. "

"You mean that the longer this goes on the less power we'll have to counter it?"

"Yes. However your individual powers will last longer because they are linked to your life energies. Teleportation however will gradually weaken."

With a powerful flash of red, Tommy was literally thrown into the Power Chamber. He slammed into the glass case that housed the White Ranger's costume. "That was a weird teleport," he said slowly.

Yellow light suddenly filled the Power Chamber, temporarily blinding those present. A huge mound of rocks lay in the Power Chamber. "Tanya?" Adam asked.

"I'm in here someplace," she said.

"Uhm, Alpha," Aisha said warily. "Zordon."

"What is it Aisha?" Zordon asked.

"I can't find Sam or Trey. Their last know locations are under water."

* * *

Trey had been lucky enough to call on Pyramidas when he noticed the monsoon heading in his direction. The large Zord had proven itself capable of standing up to a mere storm. Realising that something was wrong with the Power Chamber's teleportation system, he had taken it upon himself to try to locate as many stragglers as possible.

After collecting Sam from New York, along with a very soggy Spider-man, he moved across the country, picking up as many of their newfound allies as possible. For some reason he believed they would need the help.

"Coming up on Mount Rushmore," he told Sam, remembering that this was the headquarters of the Avengers.

"Oh man, what happened to it?" Sam asked.

The mountainside was gone, crumbled into a pile of molten sand and red-hot geysers. Locking on to whatever life signs he could detect, Trey teleported the survivors aboard and headed for Coast City, home of the JLA.

* * *

"Zordon, how long do we have?" Trini asked.

It was a question they had all wanted to ask and one they feared the answer to. They needed to defeat Minion to save the Universe, but if the Earth was destroyed, then all hope was lost.

"The Earth will survive for a few days after the collapse of the localised Morphin Grid," Zordon told them. "Alpha and I are redirecting energy from the Power Chamber to reinforce the planet's magic, but this is creating a massive drain on our resources."

"Zordon, can we use the Zeo Crystal?" Tommy asked.

"That is a good idea," Zordon said. "The energy from the Zeo Crystal cannot be used to power a team of Rangers, but it can stabilise and when needed purify the planet's magic."

"Any luck in finding Minion?"

"None," Zordon answered solemnly. "I will keep searching, but you require rest. "Alpha, please show the Rangers to their quarters."

"Our quarters?" Rocky asked.

"Look at the map. Angel Grove is gone," Kimberly said. "So is most of America."

"Our families," Rocky said woodenly.

"Trey and Sam?" Kat asked.

"Do not be alarmed, Rangers," Zordon said. "If being Rangers has taught you nothing else, it has taught you to never give up hope."

The Rangers nodded, not fully understanding what he meant, but too tired and depressed to press him for more details. "Do not worry, Rangers," Zordon thought to himself. "We will find a way, we must."

* * *

The rooms had been designed before Minion had decided to destroy the universe and were intended to serve the Rangers during a prolonged attack. Zordon had apparently thought to allow the Rangers to either mix together or divide according to gender or team.

The teens arrived in what Alpha dubbed the common room. It was a large chamber with the entertainment and refreshments they would no doubt need. Four staircases rose from the room, one to the girls' area, one to the boys' lounge, one to the Morphin Rangers' common area and one to the Zeo Rangers' chamber. Descending were another set of staircases that led to the Rangers' private rooms.

Elsewhere in the area they discovered the shower facilities Zordon had installed and the machines they could use to create clean clothing.

"This is really cool, Alpha," Adam observed as he checked out his room, decorated entirely in shades of green.

"I can't believe my parents are dead," Rocky said sadly.

"I don't even know why we bother anymore," Jason moaned. "The planet is dying. We don't have anything left to protect."

"Ai-yi-yi!" Alpha said excitedly. He wished he could tell the Rangers everything would be all right, but he couldn't be certain and he didn't want to mislead them in any way.

* * *

"Good morning beautiful," Zack said, giving Aisha a quick peck on the lips.

"Mmmmm," Aisha purred. "Are we an official item yet?" She curled up on the couch beside him.

"I'd like to think so," Zack said.

"Good," Aisha said, snuggling up against his body.

* * *

"Good morning Billy," Katherine greeted, stretching her sleep-sore muscles.

"Good morning Katherine," he answered. "Sleep well?"

"I guess so," she answered. "That was a strange bed."

Billy nodded in agreement.

* * *

"No, they were not supposed to stay in their headquarters!" Minion fumed. "How can I destroy them if they won't come out?" He ignored the obvious possibility of making a personal appearance to draw them out. "I need a monster, a special token of my esteem. Hm, I wonder if Finster or Klank had anything worth taking?"

He teleported to the almost abandoned Machine Sky Base. With Onyx wiped out he no longer had to worry about Mondo and his rust bucket family.

"What's this?" he wondered as he found a set of plans. "RoboPunch? Those machines have no imagination when it comes to naming things."

* * *

A series of alarms suddenly went off, drawing the Rangers back to the command room. "Ai-yi-yi!" Alpha cried. He hurried over to the console and began to analyse the information. "It's from the Machine Empire! The beast is known as RoboPunch. It is about to attack New York City."

"Is there anything left of New York?" Zack asked.

"Some parts of the city are intact, and there are pockets of survivors," Alpha said. "But you will have to hurry. A hurricane is rapidly approaching from the Atlantic."

"Then why don't we just let the hurricane destroy the monster?" Rocky asked. The others glared at him. "Okay, fine."

"It's Morphin Time!"

* * *

"Man," Rocky griped. "Out here saving a dead world in my underwear."

"Just hope you don't demorph," Tanya said.

RoboPunch was nowhere to be found. The Rangers had broken up into two groups to find it.

"This place is trashed," Zack said. He ran out onto a hardened slick of lava.

"He's sure to be around here someplace guys," Tommy said. "Let's hurry and find this beast."

* * *

"Zordon, we can't see anything," Jason reported.

"Alpha, reconfigure the Gem Coin helmets to enable scanning," Zordon instructed.

"Done Zordon," Alpha reported.

"Tommy, your teams' helmets have been enhanced with a new range of functions. Tanya and Kat now possess the ability to generate light beams from their helmets while Adam and Rocky can use their new scanning abilities. Your helmet will allow you enhanced vision."

"Right Zordon," Tommy confirmed. "Let's do it guys."

"Power Scan!" Rocky and Adam shouted in unison.

"Power Beams!" Tanya and Kat followed. It was around ten o'clock, but the clouds that covered the sky prevented any light from getting through.

"Tommy," Rocky said. "I'm getting readings from the east."

"Power Vision!" Tommy turned his gaze to the east. Immediately, data began to scroll across his field of vision.

The Rangers began to walk toward the supposed monster.

* * *

"There it is!" Adam shouted.

"Guys, we found him!" Tommy shouted into his wrist. The Rangers had split up to cover more ground. "He's in what's left of Central Park!"

"We're on our way!" Rocky answered. He and Kat had gone with one group while Tommy, Adam and Tanya had gone with the others.

RoboPunch was as wide as he was tall. He had two powerful arms, whose hands were covered with numerous spikes and claws. His eyes were wide and red, gathering information and determining its attackers' weak points.

The Rangers quickly gathered into a circle around the machine.

"What's this?" it thought. "I was designed to fight five, maybe six, Rangers. Not twelve. Ah well, it'll just be more of a challenge."

* * *

Adam high-kicked RoboPunch, deftly avoiding his dangerous hands. He immediately jumped backwards, landed on his hands, and quickly kicked the machine with his feet.

Kimberly pulled back on her Power Bow. A shimmering pink arrow floated in the bow. She was waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike one of RoboPunch's computerized eyes.

Aisha slowly circled RoboPunch with her Power Whip, in horse crop mode, held out before her. Zack circled in the opposite direction with his Power Axe. RoboPunch fighting style was very different from any previous monster. When a group attacked him, he just freaked out and started swinging his hands everywhere, injuring everyone. The Rangers were attacking one at a time, rapid fire.

Adam jumped away, and Billy darted in.

That was when RoboPunch managed to grow.

"RoboPunch is bringing out the big guns!" Rocky cried. He pointed at the now-gigantic machine.

"Then so will we," Jason answered. "We need Ninjazord Power..."

"Now!" the other Morphin Rangers affirmed.

Just a few seconds later, the eight Zords were flying toward New York.

"Let's get out of their way," Tommy said to the Gem Coin Rangers.

"Bring them together," Red Ranger said. "Ninja MegaFalconzord!"

"Ninja Battlezord!" Purple Ranger called. The Panther was operating under remote control.

The Crane started to fold to form the head while at the same time the Frog transformed to become the legs and the Bear converted to become the Ninja MegaFalconzord's upper body. The already modified Ape and Wolf joined onto the Bear to form the arms as the Crane linked on to become the head. Then the whole upper body joined onto the Frog as the Falcon Zord linked onto the back. Hands formed over the Ape and Wolf's heads.

The Panther Zord transformed to stand upright on its hind legs. The head rotated downwards to become the chest and the front paws became the arms. The Hawk Zord's wings and head folded into the body as the Hawk Zord joined onto the shoulders of the Panther to become the head of the Ninja Battlezord. The Panther's tail converted into a Power Sword as Purple Ranger slid into the cockpit ready for action.

"Battle Strike!" Purple Ranger called.

The Ninja Battlezord gave a short spin and drove its Power Sword into the machine's chest. As it stopped spinning the Zord ducked out of the way as the Ninja MegaFalconzord descended using its double power punch. RoboPunch exploded as the Zords celebrated their victory.

* * *

The Rangers ripped their helmets off and started their ritual congratulations celebration.

"That was awesome," Aisha said eagerly. "RoboPunch never stood a chance."

"Well, now that the monster is destroyed, I'm going to shave, shower, and get dressed," Rocky said.

* * *

Trini leaned against Billy's chest. He had his arms wrapped around her. "We still have a chance," Trini sighed. "At everything."

"At a life together," Billy said happily, willing to let go of his fears for a moment. Trini was only the second person he had ever felt a true emotional attachment with. She was only the third person he had ever kissed. But he knew that Trini was the one person meant for him. The fact that she was an Earthling was icing on the cake.

"Would you like that?" Trini asked. "A life together?"

"Do you?" Billy asked nervously.

"I sure do," Trini answered.

"Good," Billy said, smiling all over himself.

* * *

RoboPunch had failed, but then it was one of Mondo's creations and naturally inferior to anything he could have designed. Still it left him with a problem that he needed a new means to attack the Rangers. He needed to draw them out before they found a way to use the Great Power to ruin his plans. Oh he knew they had the ability to foil his scheme, they had done it to so many villains before it was just in their nature to mess things up.

He looked around critically and his eyes rested on Arcana and then upon his Nega Rangers. Yes, that was it, the perfect idea and he already had all the ingredients he needed; he had the Nega Rangers as raw material, the Dark Dimension to provide the souls and Arcana to bring the two together.

"It's time for a change."

* * *

Later

Arcana was chanting. The Sword of Darkness was gripped firmly in his hands as he searched the Dark Dimension for the spirits that Minion desired.

"Found them," he said at last. "Now Minion, bring them through and I will merge them."

Minion jumped to his feet, thought a few choice words, and pointed both hands at the sword and his Nega Rangers. Blue light flew from his fingertips.

"Will it work?" Arcana asked, intrigued by the display.

"Just wait," Minion said. A ball of darkness formed and from the ball shot beams of multicoloured light, each striking a Nega Ranger. Minion could sense the struggle as his creations and the souls he had summoned fought for dominance. In the end the newcomers emerged victorious, admiring their new bodies.

"Welcome my young friends," Minion greeted, "welcome to a second chance."

"Who are you?" Nega Pink demanded, her voice similar to Kimberly's. Her bow was raised and Minion was impressed to see that she had already loaded a Nega Arrow.

"I am called Minion, and in this dimension, I am the one who calls the shots," he told her. "I brought you here from the Dark Dimension. You remember that place don't you?"

They nodded hesitantly. These creatures had once been Rangers and all had at some stage turned their back on their beliefs and embraced the darkness. Though they were from different universes, their shared experiences had made them kindred spirits. In the end it had required their former allies and in some cases the

Grid Masters to destroy them.

"Why did you bring us here?" Kimberly asked.

"To serve me." It was the truth and as far as Minion was concerned and he stated his belief in a way that left no doubt about who was in control.

"I don't follow anyone," Nega Blue growled.

Minion clicked his fingers, turning on the pain enhancers he had included in the Nega Rangers' bodies.

"The bodies you occupy were sculpted from my genetic material. You are echoes, I am the source." he replied. "You would do well to remember that your lives are dependent upon me. Welcome to your new home, if all goes to plan, it will not be here much longer. Now, enough talk, go and introduce yourselves."

* * *

Sixteen beams of light descended through the atmosphere and landed in the remains of Angel Grove. There were no buildings or vegetation anywhere. The entire city had been covered with lava. Smooth silvery rock stretched for almost as far as the eye could see.

"So this is Angel Grove?" one asked.

"Not much to do, is there?" Aisha asked bitterly.

"We just wait?" Adam asked.

"This is so weird," Tommy said. "I can't believe Tommy Oliver could be good in any universe."

"I can't believe there are universes where we didn't turn evil," Trini said. "Are we that ignorant here?"

* * *

The Rangers looked at the sixteen evil Rangers through the Viewing Screen. "This is unreal," Tanya whispered.

"Sixteen, how did they get that many?" Rocky asked.

"They are serious," Trini said.

"I'm afraid it is a very likely scenario," Zordon told them. "On more than one occasion spells and other factors have turned you evil for a short time. These are Rangers who never managed to break free from that influence. I believe Minion has drawn them from the Dark Dimension, however, they probably originate from a whole collection of alternate universes."

"This is making so little sense," Tommy said.

"All you need to remember is that they are your enemies," Zordon said.

* * *

"Here they come," Kat said. Twelve streams descended to the Earth and materialized, producing twelve teenagers. The two teams stared at each other for a moment.

"So you all are our good counterparts?" Tommy asked.

"I suppose so," Tommy answered.

"No good can come from this," the two Tanyas said in unison.

"If you all are our opposites," Adam mused, "then you defend."

"We attack," Trini growled.

Suddenly, the evil doppelgangers attacked. Evil-Aisha clawed at Zack before punching Aisha in the face. Aisha retaliated with a sidekick.

Evil-Tommy ran up to Kimberly. "Did you dump me on this world too?" he asked. He immediately shot both arms forward and clenched his hands around her throat. With a strangled croak, he picked her up off of the ground by her neck.

Evil-Kimberly and Evil-Katherine ran up to Tommy. "Hello Thomas," they both purred. Both females suddenly high-kicked Tommy.

Katherine and Billy backed away from Evil-Trini and Evil-Adam. "Two geeks who probably couldn't defend themselves if their lives depended on it," Evil-Adam said.

"Actually, your lives do depend on it," Evil-Trini growled. She suddenly lashed out and kicked Billy in the chest before either of them could react.

Katherine high-kicked Evil-Trini before she could react. She ducked Evil-Trini's punch, but she kicked Kat in the ribs before she had gotten back to her feet.

Jason hit the ground in a painful heap. He wasn't used to fighting someone as big as him that could actually fight. Tommy was matched in skill, but even he didn't have the bulk strength that Jason suddenly realized he apparently had.

Tanya was thrown head over heels by Evil-Tanya. "Looks like someone has been giving her lessons too," Tanya thought painfully.

Rocky successfully blocked Evil-Zack's punch. With a sudden swipe of his leg, he brought Evil-Zack to the ground. He didn't have time to relish in his accomplishments, though, as Evil-Rocky threw Zack at him.

Evil-Billy grabbed Trini in a bear hug before she could react. "Billy," Trini muttered. "Don't do this."

"You fight for good," Evil-Billy growled. "You are an enemy." He hurled her at the ground in disgust.

Kimberly barked a hoarse cough as she fell from Evil-Tommy's stranglehold and hit the ground.

"We can't fight ourselves!" Jason cried.

"That's because you're too big a wimp to fight dirty," Evil-Jason taunted. He jumped at Jason with both feet, but Jason rolled away.

"Guys," Evil-Tommy said, "let's have some real fun."

"Right," the doppelgangers agreed.

"Dark Ranger Power!" the evil counterparts of Tommy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, and Rocky called.

"Nega Ranger Power!" dark versions of Jason, Billy, Aisha, Kimberly, Trini, Zack and David called.

The Rangers noticed that some of the evil teens were happy just to stand back, allowing their allies to do all the work. "Let's do this," Jason growled. With a cacophony of morphing cries, the Rangers morphed.

In civilian form they were similar, but when morphed the difference in their natures was obvious. The Dark Rangers wore all-black costumes with only a little colour on their helmets. They each wore a coin, but it was covered from view. The Nega Rangers wore the more familiar almost demonic armour that the Rangers remembered.

For a brief moment, neither side moved. A second later, the battle began.

* * *

Minion watched the battle as it progressed and was pleased to see that his Rangers were holding their own in combat. In fact they seemed to have the upper hand against the Gem Coin Rangers while the Morphin Rangers proved more difficult to defeat.

He winced as they pulled out the heavier weapons only to find themselves perfectly matched. It seemed the Evil Ranger powers he had created were too close to the original template. That was something he would have to rectify in future, assuming there was ever a need.

"The time has come my servants, your powers give you abilities unknown to any other group of Rangers. The time has come to take this to a new lever, transform and unite!"

* * *

"What are we going to do now?" Kimberly asked, staring up at the giant before them.

Minion had been correct, the Rangers had never seen this particular power before. At his command the evil Rangers' bodies started to twist in impossible ways as heavy metal armour attached to their suits. They were stretched in all directions as they continued to change, taking on forms that were eerily familiar.

"Zords for armour, no way!" Zack remarked as he noticed the other evil Rangers who until now had remained out of the battle started to join their allies.

"Does Gasket know someone's stolen his idea?" Tanya remarked as she looked up at the fleet of Zord-Armoured Rangers.

Before them stood the machines that the Rangers had come to rely on in battle: the Dino Megazord, Thunder Megazord, Ninja Megazord, Shogun Megazord; Sky Megazord, Defender Megazord, Techno Megazord, Zeo Megazord and Super Zeo Megazord; White Tiger Zord, Dragon Zord, White Falcon Zord, Red Battle Zord; and the Warrior Wheel, Titanus and finally Tor.

"We need Di... wait, what are they doing?" Jason was confused.

"Surprised Rangers?" Nega Red asked. "We are full of surprises, and this is just the beginning. Zord-Armour Rangers, unite!"

The Shogun Megazord folded itself into the upper half of ZAR's chest, while the Dino Megazord composed the bottom half. The Ninja Megazord produced another part of the lower torso. The Warrior Wheel twisted and contorted itself until it was only a third of its original size. It floated to the top of the assembling ZAR and formed the head. The Super Zeo Megazord formed the upper right arm, and the Zeo Megazord formed the right forearm. The Red Battlezord and Sky Megazord produced the left arm. Dragonzord folded in on itself and finished the last of the torso, clamping on just below the Ninja Megazord. Tigerzord and the Techno Megazord quickly produced the left leg, and the Thunder Megazord along with the Defender Megazord formed the right. As the last part locked into place the entire machine was briefly transformed into energy, restructuring the bulk so that while it was less cumbersome, it was just as powerful.

The Rangers were shocked. They had not expected a group of evil Rangers to turn into Megazords and then unite into something even bigger. While the result wasn't much taller than a regular Megazord, they could sense its power.

~Thank goodness their Zords were based on our old machines and new the new ones,~ Trini thought.

"Time to show them what real Zords can do," Tommy suggested.

"Without Sam?"

"Did somebody call?" the Green Ranger asked.

They turned to find Gold Ranger and Green Ranger walking towards them.

Jason shrugged. "We need Dinozord power, now!"

* * *

The Rangers quickly assembled the Dino Megazord and the Dino Stegazord. They looked out over the barren wasteland that had once been Angel Grove. Suddenly, the ground shook and the ZAR landed.

The Dino Megazord stepped back a few steps.

"What's a matter, Rangers?" the monster asked, its voice a mixture of the evil Rangers. "Scared?"

"Of you?" Trini replied. "Never."

ZAR kicked the Megazord in the chest. The Megazord grabbed ZAR's foot and flipped the evil creature.

ZAR quickly gained control and brought its arm blades down across the Megazord in two broad swipes. The Zord stumbled backwards and hit the ground. ZAR took several long strides and stood beside the fallen machine. "Gee," it said sarcastically. "I would have thought even you would last longer than that."

ZAR rubbed its two arm blades together, raining sparks down on the Zord. It gave a wicked growl and stabbed at the fallen machine, only to find its way blocked by the Dino Stegazord. ZAR's eyes widened as the Dragonzord's tail smashed into its chest.

Trini rolled the Megazord out of the way. ZAR's arm blades struck the ground. The Zord, still lying on its back, kicked out with a leg, knocking the evil creature to the ground as well.

The Megazord rolled back on its shoulders and flipped to a standing position, a move no Megazord should be able to do.

"Looks like it's Rangers one, monster zero," Zack cried.

Dragonzord stepped before ZAR.

ZAR lowered its head and rammed Dragonzord. Red lights lit up in Sam's cockpit. "Hull damaged, five percent," Sam said as he frantically pushed buttons that signified he acknowledged the damage. The alarms went off and reset themselves for any further damage.

With a mighty whir, the Tail Drill started. Sam turned his Zord around and plunged the tail at ZAR. The monster screamed in rage as he was damaged. ZAR grabbed the Dragonzord's tail. ZAR spun in a circle, lifting Dragonzord off of the ground. ZAR let go off the tail, and Dragonzord flew sideways.

ZAR suddenly spread its arms wide. The curved horn atop its head began to fire red lasers. They struck the ground at ZAR's feet and began to move toward Dino Stegazord. The machine responded by jumping over the attack and whipping its tail around as a counter.

ZAR slashed at the Zord with its arm blades. The Dino Stegazord cartwheeled away. Upon landing on its feet, the Zord distracted ZAR until the Megazord could land its next punch.

ZAR jumped onto the Dino Stegazord's back, effectively immobilizing it. ZAR lifted its leg up and slammed it into the Zord's back. The Zord tucked its head and rolled with the attack. The Rangers quickly brought the Zord to its feet and gave ZAR a quick roundhouse kick, pivoting on its anchored leg.

Kimberly brought all of the Zord's weight on the back leg. Once she was firmly planted, she made the Megazord kick ZAR several times in rapid succession.

"I've had it with this!" Zack shouted. "Let's show this thing what teamwork is all about."

"Right!" Jason agreed. "Super Dragonzord formation!"

The Dino Stegazord broke into its component parts as the Dragonzord merged with the Megazord. Then as the Stegazord opened to form a circular platform with sharp points around the edge, The Raptor Zord attached itself to the Mega Dragonzord's back.

"Titanus, front and center!" the eight Rangers called from their combined cockpit.

* * *

"Whoa!" Rocky cried. The Gem Coin Rangers had returned to the Power Chamber. "When did Titanus get so big?"

"Alpha and I took the opportunity to upgrade Titanus to handle eight Zords instead of six," Zordon told him.

The Brachiosaur-based mecha that marched across the wasteland was much bigger than they remembered. Several compartments had been added to his back. In addition it seemed he had been given a new paint job so that instead of just grey, he was now a dull shade of silver mixed with gold highlights.

"Look, they're going for the big one," Tommy speculated.

Zordon smiled, knowing that Tommy was in for a shock when he discovered that this was but a hint of the Morphin Rangers' arsenal.

* * *

"Super Dragonzord, slide attack!" the Morphin Rangers cried.

Titanus had opened in the usual way, but once the Super Dragonzord was in place it had closed again. Then as Titanus's neck had craned to the correct angle, the Super Dragonzord had been raised to the top of its back.

"Go!" the Rangers called, launching their machine down the length of the Carrier Zord's neck. The Stegazord component started to spin as the chest and shoulders glowed with power. Then, as the Zord leaned forward, it tore through the air, colliding with ZAR and destroying the monster on contact.

"Now what," Kimberly pondered.

"Now you die," a loud voice bellowed. A flash of red suddenly streaked before them.

Minion landed in front of the Zord, and before it could react, blasted it with dark energy. The Dino Superzord fell back, smoke billowing from its chest.

"Oh this isn't over yet," Aisha promised.

"Shogun Zords, power up!"

Minion was surprised. He knew the Rangers had the Ninja Zords and the Dino Zords, but Shogun Zords? How many machines did he have to destroy?

As the new fleet of Zords came into view, he wondered if perhaps he had miscalculated. The Shogun Zords were equal to him in height and were armed with large versions of their Power Weapons. It didn't take him more than a few blows to realise that the Rangers were serious.

"We have to finish this," Jason said. "With Minion gone we can destroy the device and restore the planet."

And so the battle was on.

Billy's Zord slashed at his foe with his Power Lance, but Minion hit the ground in a full split. He rolled into a somersault and jumped to his feet. He jumped into the air and slammed both of his feet into Yellow Shogun Zord, slamming it into Purple Shogun Zord. Minion leapt into the air and executed a perfect spin kick, downing Green Shogun Zord in the process. He planted himself firmly on his left leg and kicked White Shogun Zord in the chest with his right, knocking the Zord over. He then stepped on the fallen Zord's back, and using it as a springboard, launched himself at Red Shogun Zord. He punched Jason's Zord once, and then grabbed it by the arms and flung it into Black Shogun Zord, taking Pink down in the process.

Minion took a deep breath and stood in the midst of his carnage. "Man, that was fun," he breathed. "And this time, stay down." He spread his hands wide. Blue tendrils of light jumped from each blood-red fingernail. The tendrils of light pinned the Zords to the ground, though only temporarily.

"I am here to make you a proposition," Minion said. "Surrender, now; if you do, I will spare your lives when I reshape this wretched little reality. And I will also bring your families back."

"Why would we make deals with you?" Rocky yelled.

"Why should we believe you?" Trini asked.

"There is a planet on the far outskirts of the Universe," Minion said. "Very similar to Earth in climate, but no intelligent life. I will let you and your families live there. I will control the rest of the Universe, so I can spare a single world."

Rocky quickly crossed himself and began to pray, frantically.

"What's it gonna be, Rangers?" he asked.

"We're Rangers," Jason said, before the villain could continue. "Do you even need to ask? Trey, do it!"

The Zords vanished as the Gem Coin Rangers joined the Morphin Rangers.

"I brought a few friends along," Trey commented, gesturing to the allies he had rescued. "Hope you do not mind."

"By the power of Triforia, make us grow!" the Lord of Triforia cried.

This time there was no holding back on either side as the Rangers and their allies joined forces against Minion's evil. The villain fought back, the Sword of Darkness earning its names as it cut down Zeo Ape. Still, when all was said and done, neither side had enough strength to vanquish the other and luck as always reared its ugly head.

The planet beneath them cracked, revealing a pool of lava that none of them could withstand. Minion leapt from one side of the crack to the other and blasted the ground on which the heroes were standing, sending them into the molten gulf. Overhead they could feel the rift to the Dark Dimension consuming their world. The planet was breaking up as the two sides continued to fight.

"Laser Lance Command!"

"Lightning Fist Command!"

The two surviving VR Troopers combined their attacks, taking the villain by surprise. Robin landed a solid kick to the villain's chest as Hawkeye fired a cable arrow, entangling the construct's feet.

"Now!" Rocky cried, leading the charge as he and the majority of the assembled heroes fell upon the villain, plunging him and themselves into the fiery cauldron.

"Rider Kick!" Jesse cried, driving his feet into the villain's head as he tried to drag himself free and sacrificing himself in the process. There were few left now, but they were the planet's last hope; as Tommy summoned the Zeo Crystal, Power Mountain was consumed by the darkness.

The Earth trembled, the last of its Ley Lines drained, its magic exhausted. The pressure was building deep inside the planet's core, and when it finally blew, it would tear the planet apart.

"Teleport!" Tommy cried. He made it to Pyramidas just in time, most of the others did not as the ground they were standing on was washed away.

A volcano had appeared beneath them, spewing molten lava in their direction. It was stopped by a wall of energy as Green Lantern threw his protection Pyramidas.

The remaining heroes of Earth, the last representatives of their world, now stood on the elongated platform that served the Zord while in Carrier mode. There wasn't any solid ground left on the planet as it approached the final stage of its destruction and before long the Zord would have to land upon the molten surface to allow the Ranger to work. At that point the Zord would be unprotected.

The poisonous fumes had already taken their toll on those who did not have the comfort of a helmet or built in breathing apparatus. Minion was gone, but the danger would continue until the damage was reverse. The problem was that they only had one shot at healing the wounds Minion had inflicted.

"Are you sure about this?" Tommy asked again.

They nodded. They were without doubt heroes. They had quickly discovered a flaw with their plan in that the barrier protecting the sword was feeding off the Earth's energy and not Minion's. As it turned out only a native of Earth without the benefit of the Power could reach through the barrier and snatch the blade. Since they limited in their choices and needed all the Rangers, it had fallen to Vision and Servo, as the last active members of the Avengers and VR Troopers to perform the task.

"This is it guys," Jason told them. "When they pull the sword, we'll use the Zeo Crystal to destroy it and cleanse the Ley Lines. Then we'll use the Great Power to restore things to how they should be."

"The disruptor and the Sword of Ragnarok need to be disposed of before the process can become permanent," Billy warned. He looked at John. "You know what that means."

The Green Lantern nodded although he did not look happy about it. Still, he was dedicated to his duty as a Green Lantern.

"Good luck guys, see you on the other side," Tommy offered. "And may the Power protect us."

With that Vision and Servo descended to the small volcanic hill where the hilt of the Sword of Ragnarok could still be seen.

Vision strained to remove the sword. Next to him he was aware that Servo was also suffering from the intense heat.

There was an explosion of molten rock as he continued pulling. Vision shifted position, shielding him from the flaming rock. Servo did not fare so well and was washed under the surface by the attack. He pooled his remaining strength and with a final tug, managed to drag the blade free. At that point the flames that licked their way up his body overcame him. With his final act, he threw the Sword of Ragnarok and the device into the rift, sealing it just as Zordon had predicted.

The last Zeo Ranger moved into position over the hole where the sword had been embedded. There he could see the dark energy crackling inside, the poisoned remnants of the Earth's own magic.

Pyramidas settled on the lava, its shielded hull peeling under the intense heat; Green Lantern had built a bubble to keep Jason and his fellow Morphin Rangers from harm. They would be needed for the next stage.

"Zeo Crystal!" Tommy cried. "Deliver this world from evil!"

Billy's analysis had revealed that while the crystal was damaged and incapable of supporting a Ranger team, its purifying properties were still intact. The Rangers were going to use it not to redeem a villain, but to purge the Ley Nexus and give the Great Power an opportunity to work.

Light burst from the crystal as the Ranger held it in position. Red, yellow, pink, green, blue, gold, silver, purple, white and black energy streamed into the hole. In places where the coloured energy mixed he could make out shades of cyan, magenta, crimson, navy and orange. The Earth seemed to tremble as the corrupted magic within was forcibly ejected by the Zeo energy. Pyramidas rocked, as its hull grew thin. Before long it would disappear and if the Rangers were unsuccessful, so would they.

"Keep going," Tommy encouraged. "Need to give this - everything I've got."

He poured his soul into the crystal and was amazed when the energy increased. But despite his best efforts, the corruptive energy of the Sword of Ragnarok remained, kept in check by the Zeo Crystal's power, but capable of destroying the planet as soon as they relented.

"It's Time for a Gold Rush!" he heard Trey call, before a burst of golden light joined the power from the Zeo Crystal and chased the darkness from the Earth's depths.

* * *

"Jason, they're weakening," Trini said.

Jason nodded. He had hoped they would be able to wait until the Earth was totally cleansed before using the Great Power to reignite the planet's failing energy. Now though they didn't have a choice, the planet was too close to death to delay further. With luck they would finish before the Earth exploded. Otherwise, their actions would prove futile.

"Now is the time," David said. As White Ranger he knew when it was his time to take control. "Let our powers be one."

They clasped hands, allowing the Great Power to flow through them. They didn't need to direct it, the magic was sentient and knew what it had to do. As their hands glowed their respective colours, lines of energy emerged, linking them together, forming a golden ball of light at the very center of their circle.

"Go," Jason whispered and the ball shot into the Earth.

For a moment there was no change, then slowly the lava seemed to calm and the quaking planet quietened. The Great Power and the Zeo Crystal worked in unison, restoring the shattered and corrupted lines of magic with new life bringing energy.

"It's not enough!" Aisha realised after the changes ceased.

All the power they could imagine and it was not enough to fix the damage. Every time it crossed with the power placed there by the Sword of Ragnarok, it was corrupted by the destructive energy. The Zeo Crystal was proving incapable of purging all the darkness so long as the sword remained intact.

"Jase, the Zord!" Zack warned.

The Red Ranger looked down in time to see a hole open from beneath the once mighty Pyramidas and he knew it would not be long before all hope was lost. They could not morph; to do so would negate their efforts. Instead he accepted that since the Great Power was working, their part was done. The others needed help to complete their parts and sadly that meant that John had to be free to assist them.

"Do it," he ordered the ring bearing hero.

John nodded solemnly and placed the Rangers on the surface of the Carrier Zord, releasing them from his protection. Then he aimed his power at the crystal, adding the last of his strength to the mix.

"This is it guys," Jason said as the Rangers and their allies gathered around the Zeo Crystal. Pyramidas was sinking; they had perhaps a minute to live. "One last time. We call on all our powers combined:"

The others had all powered down, the energy from Green Lantern's ring now heading directly into the Zeo Crystal, his hands disappearing in the process.

"Red Ranger!"

"White Ranger!"

"Green Ranger!"

"Yellow Ranger!"

"Purple Ranger!"

"Blue Ranger!"

"Black Ranger!"

"Pink Ranger!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Red!"

"Gold Ranger Power!"

"Green Lantern Light!" As John spoke the words he felt the full power that he had always feared would corrupt him rushing to the fore. Years of forced denial were over as the power burst from the ring, adding to the powers already flowing into the Earth. The powers merged with those of the Zeo Crystal, removing all impurities from the Ley Lines as the Zord finally succumbed to the environment and they were plunged into a molten tomb as energy they had fed into the Earth erupted, inside the Dark Dimension.

**The End? **


End file.
